The English and the Scot
by philcarey
Summary: Eva struggles to cope with her new life, while Chibs struggles to protect her from the inevitable violence the club brings.
1. Chapter 1

**The English and the Scot **

_(This has taken me a lot of work so please don't steal it as yours and all of that stuff. Copyright and all.)_

The third time in a month that Eva's car was in the garage at Teller-Morrow was no accident.

It started with a new thermostat. Her red two-door Alero coupe kept overheating, leading to a tow and a ride in the truck with a boyish man who had a clipped Mohawk flanked by tattoos. The estimate was accurate, given by a kind, portly man with frizzy hair pulled back into a pony tail; they installed the part quickly as Eva waited in the small office with a beautiful, aging biker's wife.

Since then, something drove her back, as she found her car suddenly needing routine maintenance she had usually ignored. A week and a half later, Eva pulled in for an oil change, preferring to wait over an hour rather than make an appointment. She sat in the small, grungy office as the mechanics finished installing an alternator on a white GMC Jimmy. The woman with dark brown hair and light blond highlights looked annoyed as she waited in the dingy office postered with topless women.

Eva came prepared this time with her favorite early 20th century British novel loaded on her smartphone. Seated where she could watch the mechanics, or bikers, as she knew they were, she read the same sentences over and over. She found watching them under the hood of the GMC and eventually working beneath her car much more stimulating.

This third visit, only three weeks since the first ride into what could only be described as a compound, she admitted was too much. Eva felt ridiculous asking for a tire rotation when they obviously were only two months old, barely any wear recorded on the treads. The same attractive fiftyish woman looked at her with her head tilted and a half smile as she wrote her information down on yet another repair ticket. As the woman she overheard one of the mechanics call, "Gemma," walked out into the garage, she knew she was caught: she wasn't here for her car. Instead she was here because she couldn't get enough of him.

"Hey, Mom," Jax said as Gemma walked into the garage toward him.

Gemma rolled her eyes. "You have another admirer, _Jax_."

"Way to go, laddie," Chibs congratulated Jax, patting him on the back. "At lease' she's a hot one," he said, clipping off the end of words with his thick, Scottish voice.

"Her?" Jax said grinning, nodding toward the office, meeting eyes with the tall woman with long, light brown hair before she quickly looked down to her phone.

"You better tell her about Tara, Jackson. I'm tired of her hanging out in there with her puppy dog eyes."

"Okay, Ma," Jax responded.

"Give her a ride home and tell her that her car will be ready later. I don't need to watch her staring at you all afternoon," Gemma ordered as she walked back to the office in her high-heeled, knee-high black boots.

"Oooh. Poooor Jackie with all the lov'ly ladies efter him," Chibs teased, pushing him toward the office.

"It's a tough life, man." Jax laughed, walking away.

Eva quickly shifted her eyes back to her smartphone. They all were looking at her: Gemma, the blond one with the baggy clothes and exaggerated swagger, and the Scot with a little gray hair at his temples. _What the hell am I doing? _She thought. _These are bikers!_ _Not just bikers, not like my brother Kenny who rode his Harley everywhere, but full outlaws, the notorious Sons of Anarchy who run this town._

Gemma walked through the door with the blond one following behind her. He wore a large white t-shirt, a leather motorcycle vest (what Eva would learn was a "cut"), and baggy jeans.

"Hey, it's gonna be a while 'til we get to your car, so let me give you a ride," he said.

"Okaaay…" Eva responded. "I'm Eva," she introduced herself.

"Jax," the blond replied.

Eva gathered her things and said, "Thanks," looking at Gemma. Gemma gave her a fake, wide smile before turning back to the billing at her desk.

"So what's your address?" Jax asked as they walked toward the tow truck.

"Um. Can you take me to the high school instead?" Eva mumbled.

"Sure," Jax answered, as he walked around to the driver's side.

Eva climbed into the truck and looked back at the garage. _Well, I've done it. I've annoyed them to the point that they don't want me there anymore. What am I, a seventh grade girl? _Her cheeks began to redden at the thought.

Eva gazed out of the window as they drove through Charming. Although it was only a few miles from Teller-Morrow to the school, the drive seemed to take forever.

Breaking the awkward silence, Jax asked, "So you work at the school?"

"Ya," Eva replied, turning her gaze back forward. "I teach English."

"I never liked English in school, but now I write most days," Jax offered.

"Really?" Eva asked as she turned her head to look at him with her eyebrows up.

"Yep. I'm a biker who journals," Jax said, smirking.

They pulled into the parking lot of Charming High School. Jax stopped at the side door beside the office before clearing his throat. _Ahem_. "I know you have been coming to the shop a lot," he mumbled.

"Oh my God," Eva whispered, covering her mouth with her hand as she looked down at the floor.

"It's okay. It's okay." Jax tried to assure her. "You don't have to be embarrassed."

"But I am. I'm so sorry. I won't come in anymore," Eva stammered.

"I mean, ya, come in if you have in problems with your car. It's no big deal, it's just—you should know—you're gorgeous and all babe, but I'm getting married."

"What?" Eva looked up and stared wide eyed at him.

"I'm engaged, so nothing is ever going to happen with us. You seem like a nice girl and I thought you should know," Jax explained.

"You think I've been coming to the garage because I like _you_?" She said, staring at him, amused.

"Well, ya…" Jax's voice trailed off.

"Um. Wow. Um. I mean, you're nice looking and all, too," Eva chuckled, looking away. "But I've been bringing my car in so much because I can't stop thinking about the Scot who works there."

"Wha—you mean you're hot after Chibs?" Jax stared at her with his mouth open.

"_Chibs_, Yes. Well, this is awkward," Eva answered.

They both sat there laughing for a few seconds before Eva thanked him and got out of the truck.

"We live in a sad world Bobbay when ya have to turn down an ass like thot," Chibs said, watching Eva walk to the truck. He wore slim fit black jeans, the wallet chain hanging down from one side and a shop shirt with cut off sleeve and frayed edges, "Teller-Morrow" embroidered on one side of the chest and "Chibs" on the other. Two lightened scars on each cheek exaggerated his mouth into a perpetual smile, a grayish black mustache and goatee on his face.

"Yes, we do my friend," Bobby added as he walked out of the garage toward the clubhouse.

_Honestly, it was good to think of something else, something funny and simple as a crush this woman obviously had on Jax._ Everything here at SAMCRO was in chaos: Juicy-boy going RICO, the sheriff lockin' up Clay and Tara a few weeks before; Opie dead; Piney dead; Kozick dead; Tig losing his daughter like thot, the nomads. Chibs felt like he was back in the old days in Belfast. Blood everywhere. He sighed and went back to replacing an engine fan in a maroon Ford Taurus.

About fifteen minutes later, Jax pulled up in the tow truck. He smirked as he got out and walked toward the bays.

"Did ya let the girl down easy, lad?" Chibs hollered at him.

"Oh yeah." Jax replied, shaking his head. "You should have been there, man."

"Why's that? You give her a parting gift, you devil?" He teased.

"Nope. Thoroughly humiliated myself, though," Jax confessed. "I gave her the speech about how she seemed like a nice girl. Then, she told me she was after you, not me. She burned me bro."

Chibs laughed and grabbed him by the shoulders. "You can't have 'em all, Jackie. Gotta leave some of the ladies for the rest of us."

"So, are you going after that, man?" Jax inquired. "Something tells me she's not going to be ignored."

"Ah. Too much for me, son. Besides, when would I have the time? I have all of this to keep me busy," he said as he nodded toward the engine of the Taurus. "That's love, my brother," he chuckled.

"Come on. Even you get lonely," Jax grinned.

"That's what I've got you for," Chibs winked.

"Well, if you like her or not, I'm not taking her car back. That's on you. I've embarrassed myself enough for a day." Jax ordered.

"Ay, so be it," Chibs agreed, putting the last bolts of the engine fan into place.

Eva yawned as she stood over the copy machine, printing off the seniors' tests. Last night, she tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable, unable to sleep. Finally, in the early hours, she dreamed, dreamed the haunting dream about Mike. His yellowed skin was wrinkled over his gaunt frame as he lay in the rented hospital bed. His shallow breaths caught in his throat; he choked and gasped. Eva wanted to reach out to him, there in the bedroom. She wanted to hold his hands with the bluish gray fingernail beds. She wanted to help him go, to whisper love to him, to tell him she would be okay without him, but she couldn't. Eva wasn't Mike's wife. _She _was, still stunning at 50, refined, educated with a slight southern drawl. Stella reached out to Eva, handing her a soiled bedpan and telling her it needed cleaned as Mike dissolved into the air, thousands of microscopic pieces of light rising upward.

Eva blinked and gathered the warm papers from the machine. She came to Charming to leave Mike behind, her lover, her best friend. He was dead and gone, back in that other world. Six months after he succumbed to heart failure caused by his cancer, his lungs filled with fluid, he was still with her. In her dreams he was alive again, or worse: dying, dead, gone and grieved over. Eva was alone. She had packed up her belongings and driven to California, filling a sudden void in the English department of Charming High School. Instead of packing up her grief and sealing it away, it seeped out into her dreams, her thoughts.

The Scot was a welcome diversion. He drew her in and made her forget, made her feel giggly in her adolescent crush.

At around four o'clock, after grading the juniors' essays over abortion, gun rights, and the war in Afghanistan, Eva began to get restless. Someone would be calling soon, returning her car and reminding her how ridiculous she was, a juvenile, really. Maybe it would be the blond cocky one, _Jax._ They could send "The Queen," as Eva began to think of her, _Gemma._ The kid with the Mohawk could come or possibly the one that reminded her of her brother.

_I suppose I will have to just deal with the humiliation,_ she thought, half- smiling to herself.

The call came at 4:45pm, Gemma saying the car was done and asking where she wanted it brought. Eva made arrangements to have someone bring it to the front entrance of the old wing of the high school. She gathered her purse and locked the outside of her door before heading down the east staircase. _At least I got everything ready for Tuesday._

Chibs came to a stop at a red light at the main intersection in town, headed toward the high school. He noticed something that appeared be charging in the cigarette lighter. As he waited, he slid the cord through his fingers until he found a pink iPod wedged between the seats. He pressed play just as a man in the blue pickup behind him laid on the horn.

"SOUNDS SO REAL I CAN HEAR IT…SO WHYYYYYYYYYYY CAN'T I TOUCH IT?" Blared over the radio.

Chibs grabbed the volume knob on the car stereo and turned it down. _Buzzcocks. Hmm. _He leaned out the window extending his middle finger to the pickup behind him and yelled, "FUCK OFF!" before pulling away.

On the way through town, he figured out how to navigate through the menus as he glanced up at the road, then back down at the iPod, moving his eyes ahead of the car, then down again as he recognized some of the bands: _Arctic Monkeys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Led Zepplin, The Kills, Cream_…

_Well, Aye can't fault her musical tastes, can Aye?_ He sat the iPod on the passenger seat as he parked in the front of the original school building. Only one car, a silver, late model Buick sedan waited for another teacher nearby.

As he turned the car off, the woman, "Eva" the ticket read, walked out of the double doors. As he got out of the car, she hesitated for just a moment, slowing her steps before walking toward him.

"Tires are rotated Missay, ready to go," Chibs looked at her extending the keys.

"Thank you." She looked at her reflection in his black sunglasses and took the keys from his hand. She paused for a second before she turned back to the building, not knowing where else to go.

He didn't expect her to walk out like this: flirtation, inappropriate advances, even blushing or dashing away, but not the calm way she handled it all. Different. Sure. Unashamed.

A voice came out of his mouth and said, "Done for the day, are ya?"

Surprised, Eva turned back to him and answered slowly, "I got everything done I needed to."

"Care for a tour, then? Aye haven't been in a school for some 35 years," Chibs revealed, the slight trill on the "r." _What the hell? _He questioned himself. _ Ya don't need no goddamed girl right now. _

"Um. Sure. Of course," she said, surprised, and she led him to the front door, unlocking it again. She could almost feel him looking her up and down. Eva looked back at him and asked, "Thirty-five years? You're not _that_ old…"

"No," he confessed, "but they let me go early."

The first floor of the three-story brick building had only five classrooms with restrooms for both boys and girls and a wide central hallway which broke off into a T toward the main entrance. It was five steps below the ground level, reached by a gradual slope from the main door and steps on each the east and west entrances. There was yet another T which led off from the first floor hallway, past the principal's office and teachers' lounge toward the newer additions. Eva explained that the English, Spanish, history, and social science classes remained in the old building, while math, science, home economics, and special education were housed in the new. The hallways were lined with lockers, some with combination locks.

As they ascended the east stairs to the second floor, Eva was more than sure Chibs was staring at her ass. It only made her mildly uncomfortable. In her slim, boot cut weathered blue jeans, buckled black leather sketchers, and fitted plaid long-sleeved top, she felt pretty good about herself, even on a causal day when the kids were out of school.

On her immediate right as they arrived on the second floor, Eva announced, "This is my room." She opened the door with her keys into a room of beige desktops attached to navy blue plastic chairs on smoky blue, heavy traffic carpet. The walls were grayish white, peppered with brightly colored grammar posters and large dry erase boards filled most of the west wall. A few movie posters, _The Hobbit_ and _The Hunger Games_ showed an attempt for relevancy with the students. Her desk, in the northwest corner of the room and flanked by short, white, filing cabinets was sparse, neat.

"Oh, I see." Chibs said as he explored the room, moving toward the large sliding glass windows across the east side of the room. He pulled a shade back and peered out the window before turning to read the dry erase board. "_Brave New World_," he said, reading the dry erase board. "Test Tuesday?"

"Yes." She answered.

"They know et?" Chibs asked, pointing at the board.

"Ya. I mean, we've studied it for about a month," she responded, folding her arms.

"Don' ya think we're there already, love?" He turned toward her.

"What do you mean?" She asked. _Where is he going with this?_

"Babies created in labs instead of their mothers' womb. Denying contra-ception to the poor, giving us a slave class. Our economy based on consumption. Drugs…the war on terror…" He walked up to her, "meaningless…sex…" breathing the words before turning away, looking at the board again, "Reality TV and the goddamn Kardashians…"

"I didn't know you knew Huxley," Eva exhaled, trying to even the tone of her voice, trying to seem unaffected. She felt like she was melting into the floor.

"Oh yea," He said, rolling his eyes at her. "I'm all educated. Surprised? How 'bout the rest of the tour?" Chibs said as he walked back to the door.

Eva walked him through the second floor, then upward on the west stairs, toward the landing illuminated by large window of glass block, finally back east on to the third floor. All of the eight classrooms were the same as the hall: blue-gray carpets, off-white walls, loud posters with motivational quotes attempting to make it look more like a school and less like as an office.

She forgot; although it was the Friday of Easter break, she wasn't the only one in the building. Billie Shotski was just locking her door outside the first classroom on the left. In her mid-fifties and only about 5'2" with a short, frizzy, whitish blond halo of hair she turned to clip at Eva, "Good afternoon Ev—" before stopping herself. Her eyes widened when she looked at the biker behind Eva. She pulled her key from the door. "Bye." She blurted, sticking her chin out and up at Eva before scurrying down the hallway toward the east stairs.

"Good…bye…" Eva trailed off, confused. Suddenly, it occurred to her that Chibs wore his black leather_ cut,_ affiliation emblazoned upon it in white letters. She didn't see it, but knew it was there. _He carried a damn handgun in the back of his jeans. Of course, he did. Why wouldn't he? He was a Son, one of the armed militia of Charming. _She could almost feel the heat of it rising off of him. Guns weren't foreign to her; her father, a Vietnam veteran, kept guns, a few rifles, a 45. He even carried one in his pickup. The gun itself didn't bother her, instead, it was the fact that it was loaded, hidden from view, and may have been used to plant a bullet in someone.

Like all schools in California, this was a "Gun Free Zone." _What the hell are you doing? You could get fired for this shit!_ That wasn't true, at least, it wasn't likely. The Sons ran this town, kept it safe, kept the drugs out, kept the violence out, at least with the exception of a few skirmishes that were quickly resolved. She was suddenly terrified, not of him_,_ but of herself.

"That's about it in this building," Eva stated as they walked across the third floor hallway. "I really don't want to go into the other buildings, if that's okay."

"Fine," he replied. "Enough schooling for this lad." They began descending the stairs.

After they walked out of the building and she locked it, it occurred to her that he didn't have a ride. No Harleys outside of the school, no tow trucks or inconspicuous vehicles parked nearby._ Am I going to have to take him home or back to the garage? _

"I'm hungry. Should we go eat?" Chibs asked.

"What? Oh, that would be great." For the first time all day, Eva thought about food. It occurred to her that she hadn't eaten since last night. She gulped coffee all day, but had forgotten to eat anything. The ache in her stomach wasn't just because she was nervous around him; she was hungry, ravenous.

"I'll drive ya." He held out his hand for the keys. She noticed how clean his hands were, unusual for a mechanic. Eva wondered how much time he actually spent in the garage and how much time he hid them underneath touring gloves. She handed him the keys and walked around to the passenger side of the car. As Eva got in, she moved her iPod off of the seat and put it in the console.

"Some nice music ya got there," Chibs commented.

"Thanks," Eva replied. "Most people don't get my music tastes. I'm kind of a snob."

"Really," he said. "An' whys thot?"

"I listen to bands no one else knows. I'm constantly on the lookout for new music." She answered.

"Thot's not so different. I do that some times. It used to be much harder before I started with Spotify."

"You listen to Spotify," she said, turning her head sideways, incredulously.

"Ya. I mean, not like all the time, but some times. Ya." Chibs explained. "Juicy-boy got it for me a while back."

"Which one is he?" Eva inquired.

"Shaved head with hair down the middle and tattoos. Thot one."

The empty, bricked streets lined with angle parking made it easy to find a place for the car. About one in four store fronts were vacant downtown. Overgrown weeds peeking through broken foundations where buildings once were made the street like a smile with missing teeth. Closer to the courthouse square, one could find an attorney. Farther out, stood a Dollar General, its neighbor a pay day loan shop.

Chibs led Eva into the Walnut Inn. With green awnings, it stood as the jewel among the stagnant growth of downtown. It had been closed and opened half a dozen times in the past hundred years, even surviving attempts to make it an apartment building. The current owners repaired and restored the original walnut stairs and curved banister in the open lobby.

Eva surveyed the room and looked down at the hexagon tile. The front desk stood cleared, abandoned. The room was empty, minus a few large potted plants. "Nice," she commented.

"This way, Love." Chibs led as they walked through the double doors into the bar.

The restaurant was housed in a large room with six foot walnut paneling on the walls, the rest of the 14 feet to the ceiling painted a cream color. The floor appeared to be oak and a long bar ran the length of interior wall. Chibs walked her over to one of the simple faux wood Formica tables and pulled out a maroon vinyl-padded chair and gestured for to her sit. Two other seated couples across the room turned to stare at them before looking away. He sat on the other side of the table, facing the door.

"I like coming here. It's elegant without me havin' to change into dressy clothes," Chibs explained, stretching his arm across the chair beside him and leaning back.

"I can see that." Eva responded. "It's gorgeous. How's the food?"

"Excellent." Chibs answered as a young woman wearing a button up white cotton shirt and short black skirt set a menu in front of each of them.

Chibs asked for a Jameson, Eva ordered a White Russian.

"Ah. The Dude," he commented, referencing_ The Big Lebowski._

"The Dude abides," she replied, winking at him with a smirk.

After the waitress left the table, Eva picked up her menu: fried finger foods, baskets of fish or chicken with fries, a few salads, sandwiches, steaks. "What's good?" She asked him.

"Everything, Love, I'm gonna go with a steak," he answered.

"Sounds great. I'm starved."

"We can't have thot, now, can we?" Chibs said as the waitress returned with their drinks. "The young lady will have a steak," He handed her the menu.

The waitress looked at Eva, "Which one?"

"Ribeye: 12 oz., medium rare. Baked potato: sour cream and butter. Can I also have a glass of water?" Eva ordered, giving her the menu.

"Ya like it bloody?" Chibs asked. He turned to the waitress, "I'll have the same. 'Cept make 'em mashed." She left them and walked to the swinging double doors of the kitchen.

"So what's your real name?" Eva inquired.

"Who says et ain't my real name?"

"Boys love to give each other nicknames. They shorten first names, use initials or call people by their last names. Sometimes, it's an inside joke. And you're in a club… a family. You all have family names, I bet."

He looked at her and paused. Then, blinked. "Filip."

"_Filip._ I didn't think your mother named you 'knives.'"

"Thot's cause ya didn't know me mother."

Filip was right: the ribeyes were excellent, juicy and seasoned to perfection with just the right amount of marbling. He ate all of his meal and she finished all but the last few bites of potato, stuffed.

The conversation that flowed easily between them surprised them both. The drinks flowed freely, too.

Eva confessed she came to California to escape, a fresh start. Filip had too, coming from Belfast with Clay (the former president) to leave his past in Ireland. She learned that an older man he worked for gave him a copy of _Lord of the Flies _one day, which led him to reading as an adult_. _ She asked what kind of work but he only told her that it was different jobs here or there. Eva suspected IRA, but also knew she had a vivid imagination that often got her into trouble. They both became more and more flirtatious.

"Jax told you I had a crush on you, didn't he?" Her fourth drink gave her the courage to ask.

"Ya, Jackie-boy was a little disappointed."

"Are you disappointed?"

"Not…yet." He said, leaning across the table toward her.

She laughed.

"So, you're into bikers? Are ya?" Filip asked, leaning back.

"No," Eva shook her head.

"No? Ah come on now, of course ya are!" He teased.

"Nope."

He shook his head. "Ya can't tell me thot you don' go for the black leather, the danger, the dirt and grease and your titties up against some bastard's with a bike humming between your legs?"

"Now that you mention it, that all sounds like fun, but it wasn't why I kept coming to the garage," Eva argued.

"No?" He waited for her answer.

"No, I just wanted you."

"Do ya still want me, Love?" Filip leaned forward again.

Eva blinked slowly, hesitated, then answered, "I really want a smoke, can I get one from you?"

She was drunk. Filip was, too.

After he paid the tab, they wandered back out into the street. He offered her a cigarette and she took it and he lit it for her. She smoked when she was drinking, but rarely otherwise.

"We're goin' to need a ride. Best I'm not drivin' now."

Eva nodded, "No way I can drive you anywhere."

"Eh. I'll call up a prospect." Filip pulled his flip phone from his pocket. "Ya. We're goin' to need a ride. Uh, third and main street. Get your ass here."

"I'm just going to walk… It's not very far," she told him.

"Wait here with me," he insisted and put his arm around her.

"I live…right there." She jerked her arm forward and pointed at the brick building about 100 feet away.

"Oh Christ!" Filip exclaimed letting her go and looking at her, dropping his shoulders. "Why didn' ya say so? Come on then!"

He held his arm around her shoulders as they crossed the empty street and walked down the sidewalk. He smelled of leather, cigarettes, Jameson, and a faint memory of aftershave.

Instead of entering the arched entrance on the front of the building, she led him around to the north side door. She unlocked the door, but closed it again before turning around, running into him.

"Thanks for dinner," Eva said. Filip's face was inches away from hers.

"Was it whot ya wanted?" He whispered.

"Yes." She smiled and blinked just as he kissed her.

At first, Filip kissed her slowly, carefully as she reached one arm around his shoulder and the other across his cheek, then to the back of his head, fingers through his hair. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling his way across her back and the shape of her waist. He began kissing her greedily as she pushed herself toward him. He thrust her against the brick wall.

When Eva stopped to take a breath, she moved her face away from him. "I need to go. You need…to go."

A few seconds passed.

"Ya." He let go of her and put his hand over his mouth and pulled it down his bearded chin. "Right. Okay." Filip exhaled.

"I'll see you then?" She asked as she opened the door.

"Ya, Love. Good night."

"Good night."

Filip walked to the front of the building. _SHITE! I do not need this SHITE! _He spotted the black van across the street in front of the inn. "FUCK," He said.

As he got in the van, sitting in the passenger's seat, he pulled another cigarette out and lit it. "Take me to my goddammed bike!"

He didn't say another word.

Eva closed the door and leaned her back against it. She took a deep breath and exhaled, standing there for a minute before she walked across the kitchen toward the living room. Eva fell backwards on her couch less dizzy from the alcohol than from what happened outside.

_Why did I tell him to leave?_

It was the proper thing, the right thing, she supposed. Besides, he was some outlaw biker. Why should she trust him in her house, let alone trust him in her body? He wasn't just some outlaw biker, though; he was Filip.

She dragged herself off of the couch and walked back to her bedroom, pulling off her jeans and panties, putting on a pair of pink striped cotton boxers with a black, wide satin drawstring. She moved into the bathroom and brushed her teeth. _Ew. _Eva hated the way her mouth tasted after smoking. However, it didn't bother her while she was kissing Filip.

Just then, she heard a knock at the door. Spitting out the toothpaste and taking a quick slurp of water, she walked the length of her long living room back into the kitchen. Eva moved the blinds back and saw Filip standing there.

She opened the door. "Hey," she said.

He leaned against the open door frame. "Thot didn' quite go how I'd hoped." He moved his eyes down to see she had changed out of her jeans.

"Me either," she gazed at him as he stepped through the door and pulled her to him again, kissing her hungrily as she began to tug pull at his clothes.

Eva didn't sleep much that night, either.


	2. Chapter 2

Eva loved her full size bed, covered with a bright, white duvet filled with soft goose down. Four large matching pillows leaned against the simple black frame at the top of the bed. She looked around the gray stone walls that surrounded three walls of her cell. At least she had a small 1' x 2' window; at least she had this bed. She watched the guard walk past the bars through which she now saw the world. The Sons may not have been able to get her out of prison, but they did keep her more comfortable and safe… for now.

In the cell across from hers, she noticed the prisoner frying bacon over a stove. She furrowed her brow, confused. She peeked through her eyes to see her darkened bedroom. The shades still blocked most of the light, but there were no bars. This was no prison cell.

Pieces of the last night flashed through her mind: the look on Billie's face, the sweetness of a White Russian on her tongue, the rough bricks pressing into her back.

_Did Filip leave?_ Eva looked down at the braided rug on her hardwood floor. Her clothes remained where she dropped them last night. His were missing. She rolled over on her other side and closed her eyes, hanging on for just another moment, remembering her arched back, the way she grasped the sheets in her hands, her face pressed in her pillow.

Eva frowned, _Do I smell bacon?_

When she bought the three-unit apartment building, the kitchen impressed her the least. Since buying it a month before, she had color-washed the plaster walls, giving it the appearance of reddish brown leather. She had also retiled the floor with matching stone tiles and stained the simple cabinets.

She found Filip standing at the stainless steel stove, dressed in his black t-shirt and black jeans. He was just taking up the fried eggs, placing them on two plates already filled with bacon, link sausage, baked beans, and some kind of flatbread.

"Mornin'." He picked up the plates and carried them over to the kitchen table. She slid into the bench seat while he put a plate in front of her. "Coffee?" He asked after leaning over and giving her a quick kiss on the mouth.

"Yes, _please._" She answered.

"Ah." He said. "Feelin' it today are we? I've no Irn Bru, Darlin'. A full breakfast is next best but if it's bad Juicy can give ya an enema." He handed her a cup of coffee and sat down beside her.

She stared at him. "Did you just tell me your friend can give me an enema?"

"Ya. He's got a pot shop. Aye had a mint and green tea colonic once." Filip revealed, taking a bite of bacon.

Eva laughed.

"Really, it's true," he said.

"I actually feel pretty good this morning, other than being a little sore." She smirked.

"Things did get a little out of hand, didn' they?" Filip winked.

"Um hmm." Eva picked up the strange triangle-shaped flatbread. "What's this?" She asked, taking a bite.

"Tattie bread. That's how all this started." He gestured to their plates. "Aye found boiled potatoes in the fridge and made 'em into bread. You were still passed out. Aye wanted to make breakfast, but couldn' find any meat." Filip took a sip of his coffee. "Aye had to make a run."

"Well, I don't usually eat meat."

"Whot?" He dropped his fork. "Ya don' eat meat? Whot do ya mean ya don't eat meat? Ya had a big ol' steak last night," Filip argued.

"I'll eat a steak when I go out, but otherwise I don't usually eat meat. I'm mostly a vegetarian." She dipped a corner of the bread into the runny yolk of her egg. "This is really good," she said, holding up the bread.

"Oh my God!" Filip tipped his head back, eyes to the ceiling. "I had sex with a vegetarian!" He groaned.

Eva laughed. "You regret it?" She asked, finishing her beans.

"Not a bit, Love. Not a bit." He smiled at her and said, "Et still isn't right," before taking a bite of sausage.

He ate all of his breakfast, scraping the plate with the bread. She ate a few bites of bacon and sausage, but finished everything else.

"Your kitchen's a goddammed mess," he chuckled.

Eva stretched to see the counters behind him. "It wasn't a mess last night."

"Aye get a bit messy when Aye cook," he admitted. "Care to help?" He motioned to the counters.

"Well, I didn't have to make breakfast, so I suppose." She teased.

They cleared the table and Eva started working on the counters. He was right. It was a disaster. Flour and grease were everywhere. As Filip began to fill the sink with hot soapy water, he said, "Ya got some nice tools here." He gestured to the Vitamix blender and a red Kitchen Aid mixer.

"I don't see any point in buying junk just to have it wear out." She handed him the dirty mixing bowl, then the plates.

"But why the hell do ya need a blender with a 3 horsepower motor? That makes no sense, Darlin'"

"I use it to grind coffee and grind wheat when I make bread." She shrugged, moving around him to rinse and dry the dishes.

"Christ. Ya are really et, aren't ya?" He turned to her.

"I guess," she smiled.

Filip handed her a soapy plate. She looked at the gold rings he wore on his fingers. Then, then she realized there was a single band on his left ring finger. She almost dropped the plate.

"You're married, aren't you?" Eva said, flatly.

Filip paused.

"Aw, shit!" She yelled, "Get the fuck out of my house." She set the plate down and stormed away from him.

"Wait a minute. It's not like that." He walked toward her.

She grabbed his weathered brown boots and cut and shoved them at him. "I said, 'GET OUT!'"

"OUT!" She went to the door and opened it.

"Let me explain, Love," He tried to reason with her.

"No! I'm not doing this shit again. Go! Now!" She pointed outside.

"Whot? Is that why ya needed to get out of Colorado? Were ya a mistress?" Filip looked at her, puzzled.

"No," she shook her head. "Yes. Kind of. Not really… This is not about me, this is about you! Leave!" She folded her arms.

Filip walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Fiona left me 10 years ago. Since then, Aye have only seen her a few times. We are _not _together. She lives in Belfast."

She met his eyes. "Why aren't you divorced then?" She asked, suspiciously.

"Aye left Ireland. Aye thought that someday…we just never filed the papers. We didn' need to. Et was done."

"And the ring?

"Old habits. Hand didn' feel right without et. Now? Aye don' know why. Aye can take et off for ya." He offered. "Okay?"

"Call Gemma." Eva ordered.

"Whot? Why?" He asked.

"I want to talk to her, that's why." She held out her hand.

He pulled his flip phone out of his pocket and dialed her number. "Mother?" He paused. "Ya the girl wants to talk to ya." Filip handed Eva the phone.

"Tell me about Fiona," Eva told her.

_Shite. Aye am in it now._ Filip said to himself.

Gemma, annoyed, verified Filip's story. Eva still didn't know if she believed him or not, but decided to let him stay; there were dishes to wash, after all.

When Filip returned to Teller-Morrow that afternoon, he met Jax coming out of the clubhouse.

"Didn't see you after you took that chick's car back, man. Do we need to bill extra for driving her all night?" Jax grinned at him and lit a cigarette.

"Aye, laddie. Took her for a spin today, too." Filip replied.

"Shit, brother." Jax smiled. "You needed that."

"Nero, he needs us again today."

"Whot now?" Filip asked, lighting a cigarette.

"We're going to see one of his crew who's been skimmin'. He doesn't want to take his guys."

"Shite, Jackie. Aye know we went into business with 'em, but how long 'til he gets his shite together? Twice this week, lad. Two fucking times already. Christ." Filip took a long drag and looked away.

"Look, we're protecting our investments." Jax tried to explain.

"Ya. Whatever." Filip walked to the clubhouse. Things had been shite ever since Jax took over. He loved that kid, always had, but he wasn't a kid any longer. When Opie was killed, beaten to death, something broke inside of Jackie-boy. Filip wasn't afraid to get bloody, but Jax craved et now. He knew that the lad hadn't been to see Tara in weeks. Gemma was the only one caring for those boys.

Filip walked into the clubhouse. Tig, lay on a couch snoring with his white pit bull asleep on top of him. H

_Aye should just get a goddammed dog._ Filip thought to himself.

"Since when do you tell chicks about Fiona?" Gemma asked, walking through the door.

Filip exhaled on his way to the bar. "Aye told her Aye wasn't really married." He grabbed a bottle and poured a shot.

"She must not have believed you then if I had to back up your story." Gemma noted, putting her hands on her hips. "Who is this chick?"

He slammed the shot back and placed the glass on the bar. "The girl from yesterday."

"What girl? You don't mean that one that is into Jax?" Gemma asked, confused.

"Turns out she wasn't here efter Jackie-boy."

"No shit. Is it serious? Why do you give a damn if she knows your married or not?" Gemma crossed her arms.

"Aye don' know, Mother." Filip confessed.

Filip hated going into East Oakland. Far from the beauty of West Oakland's Victorians and the Art Deco architecture downtown, they drove through a neighborhood of dirty stucco houses divided by iron fences. Filip looked out the tinted window of Nero's black Ford Excursion as they passed by a building adorned with a large graffiti of a food truck.

The house stood next to an empty lot framed by a chain link fence. Like so many of the others, it was pale stucco with a jacked up 1988 Delta 88 behind the iron bars in the front yard. Filip and Jax took off their cuts as they pulled up in front of the house.

"What's the plan in here, man?" Jax asked. Nero was a tall Hispanic man in his 50s, though he could have passed for someone ten years younger. He wore a white tank top, showing off his tattoos.

"I told Manuel that I needed him for a run, that I needed him to go with us to get more coke," Nero explained. "I said he needed to be alone. You guys are supposed to be my escort."

"Then, whot.?" Filip asked from the backseat.

"Then, we take him outside of town to a meet that isn't going to happen and we end him. Bitch has been stealin'. That's why I wanted you instead of my crew. He's been with me a long time. Would have been hard for the others." Nero stepped out of the Excursion.

The three men walked through the fence and up to the porch. Jax wore a navy blue hooded sweatshirt, a black baseball cap and sunglasses. Filip was in his usual: black jeans with the wallet chain on the side and a wrinkled brown leather jacket. The evening was chilly, only about 60 degrees. Nero knocked twice on the door.

A short, round Hispanic man opened the door. He wore an oversized white t-shirt and baggy jeans. "Hey, ese. Come in, you want some taquitos for the road?"

"No man, we gotta take off, get to the meet." Nero replied. Filip came in last, shutting the door behind him. The house smelled of pork and onions, with a hint of pot smoke underneath. The living room had a few couches with wear on the armrests. A 52" flat screen filled the east wall across from one of the couches, several video game systems stretched out from under the tv stand.

Just then, gunfire erupted into the house. All four men dropped to the floor, pulling handguns from the waistbands of their pants.

"What the fuck, man?" Jax yelled, barely audible in the rapid gunfire. The men covered their heads with their hands when the tv shattered, projecting broken glass across the room.

"The Cuchillos are pissed, ese. They don't want to give their territory back to you." Manuel shouted to Nero.

"Now, what, Jackie-boy?" Filip crawled closer to Jax.

"We need backup here now, man!" Jax exclaimed. The gunfire slowed. Jax nodded to Filip and they pulled themselves to the broken windows, taking a few shots outside, before crouching down again. Jax pulled his cell phone from his pocket and began to dial.

The shots suddenly stopped. They heard tires squeal. Filip peeked out the window, just as they heard the screams.

A woman wailed, "Ayúdame! Ayúdame! Help! Help!" as she ran out of the house across the street, carrying a child.

"Christ!" Filip stood up.

"What?" Jax said, coming to his feet the same time as Nero.

"One of us shot a wee lad!" He exclaimed as he ran out of the door.

Nero and Jax took off after him and reached Filip as he came to a stop in front of the mother.

"He's took it in the leg." Filip pointed to the boy's bloody pant leg.

"Can you stop the bleeding?" Jax asked Filip as Nero tried to calm the woman in Spanish. Just then, the boy stopped screaming and passed out.

The woman started wailing even louder.

Filip yelled at the woman, "Put him down! Put him down! He's in shock."

"Lo puso abajo!" Nero shouted.

Gently lay the boy on the dry dead grass. Filip pulled a knife from his pocked and opened it. The woman started screaming again.

"He's a medic! Tell this woman that Chibs is a medic!" Jax yelled.

"Él es un medico! Él es un medico!" Nero exclaimed.

The woman quieted as Filip slid his knife under the cuff at the bottom of the boy's jeans, cutting the pant leg open all the way to the thigh. Blood spilled out of a wound toward the outside of the upper leg.

"Give me your shirt." Filip ordered Nero. Nero pulled the tank top off. Filip cut several notches into the top of it before giving them quick tugs, creating several long strips. He folded one up and pressed it into the wound, causing the boy to moan. He wrapped the remaining strips around it, pulling each one tight. "He needs to go to hospital,"Filip informed Nero, picking him up and carrying him to the Excursion.

Nero turned back to Manuel who stood behind, watching quietly. "You take this woman to Highland." He faced the woman again and explained they were taking her son to Highland hospital and Manuel would take her there. "Su bebé va a estar bien, your baby will be fine." He hugged her as she stood there, sobbing.

Filip held the boy all the way to the hospital, pressing down on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

Nero sped through the streets. "Highland has an unwritten policy, man. If you take a child with a gunshot wound, they won't ask you no questions. They never saw you." He pulled up to the emergency room. Highland's Spanish Baroque building was an anachronism next to the green glass and concrete of the newer additions.

Nero jumped out of the Excursion and ran in to get help. Jax jogged around to the driver's side, opening the door for Filip. "Is he gonna make it?"

"Aye don' know." Filip answered, meeting three people wearing green scrubs, pushing a stretcher. He gently lay the boy down. "Aye used compression, tried to control the bleeding."

A man with close cropped jet black hair nodded at him before they rushed the boy in through the automatic sliding glass doors.

The three men walked back to the Excursion, none of them saying a word.

It was dark by the time Nero pulled up to the clubhouse in the lot of Teller-Morrow. He apologized to Jax and Filip before they got out. "Again, I'm sorry. No idea that shit was going to go down. Thanks for having my back."

"Ya man. Serious shit." Jax looked straight ahead out of the window, then opened the door and got out. "Take care, bro," Jax said before shutting the door, then watching Nero drive away.

The lot was nearly empty. Only the bikes of Jax, Filip, and Brady, one of the prospects, remained there, parked backwards, waiting to drive off at a moment's notice.

"Hey man, wait." Jax called to Filip before he headed into the clubhouse.

Filip turned around and stared at him, taking out a cigarette and lighting up. His cut hung folded over his left arm. He tried to keep it from touching the bloody leather jacket he still had on.

"I'm sorry, bro. That was some crazy shit." Jax apologized.

"Ya. It was." Filip took a drag from his cigarette, then exhaled the smoke.

"I had no idea it would be like that."

"No, ya didn', Jackie-boy. Excuse me while Aye go wash off that wee boy's blood." Fillip walked away, into the clubhouse.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Like all of the times at "church" lately, no one had good news.

The former US Marshall, Toric, had started harassing crow-eaters, showing up at the chicks' homes, threatening them for information. Of course, none of them knew anything about the club's business, but he kept digging.

"Let's kill him," Happy suggested.

"Tara doesn't need any more heat right now," Jax informed the club.

"How's that going, man? She doing okay?" Tig asked.

"She's not holding up very well, but there is nothing to do," Jax answered. "Lowen said the DA hasn't released their witness yet." Ally Lowen, SAMCRO's tall, sexy, lawyer had worked for the club for years. She did her job well and was discreet. The only mistake she had ever made was that custody shit with Wendy. Jax made sure she wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Fuck, man." Tig responded. "Sorry." Everyone was silent for a moment.

"What do we know about Pope's guy?" Bobby asked, changing the subject. He sat farther from the head of the table now. Filip had taken over as VP, sitting at the left of Jax. Happy had also moved and was now Sargent at Arms, on the right of the president.

"August, the guy who took over for Pope, still has guys creeping around." Juice answered. "He isn't convinced that Clay killed Pope."

"There's nothing to find." Jax tried to reassure the group. He lit a cigarette. The Sons always kept a few ashtrays on the hand carved table with the grim reaper in the center. "Any word from Belfast?" Jax turned to Filip.

"Belfast charter says Galen followed through. No more runs for the Sons, no more guns, here or there." Flip replied.

"You're a shitty poet, man." Tig grinned at Filip across the table. Filip flipped him off.

Bobby put his reading glasses back on and looked down at the papers in front of him. "And since Charming Heights pushed back construction for a few months, we're broke. Expect to live off those garage paychecks."

A few of the men groaned. The room went silent.

"Nero will have some cash for us next week for the work we've been doin' for him. It isn't much, but it's something." Jax informed them. "I think he can keep us steady while we wait for Belfast to reconsider."

"Great." Filip frowned and leaned back in the chair.

Church adjourned and the men started walking out of the room. Jax said, "Hey, hold up Chibs."  
Filip waited as the others exited and Jax closed the doors.

"I said I was sorry about the thing with the kid. It's not happening again. Nero reassured me that he's going to be a lot more careful. He didn't realize how bad things were with the other gangs." Jax tried to reassure him.

"Thot's the problem, Jackie-boy. He doesn' know his shite. It's not our business, so we don' know shite, either." Filip opened the doors and walked out.

Friday nights used to be church night. They would meet for club business in the chapel for an hour or so, then spend the rest of the night partying. The weekly ritual had waned over the last few months. Any club meetings took place as needed with no one feeling like celebrating afterward. Although the Sons finally met on a Friday evening, the mood was dismal as the men gathered on couches, scantily clad women draping themselves over them.

Filip walked to the bar and poured himself a shot, then another, and another. Bobby shifted up to him, nodding for a shot himself. "You alright, man?"

"Fine," Filip answered, avoiding Bobby's eyes as he poured them shots of Jameson.

"I wonder sometimes if it will ever be like it used to be, without all of the bullshit," Bobby stared over at Tig and Happy who were talking on the blue and white checkered couches with their arms around skinny tattooed women.

Filip stood at the bar, downing the Jameson until the large, paneled room of the clubhouse melted into blurry drunkenness.

Filip squinted up at the white popcorn ceiling, brownish-yellow from tobacco smoke. He looked around the bedroom before noticing the quietly snoring girl beside him. He looked at her piercings in her nose, eyebrow, and upper lip. _Christ. _She was damn near the age of Kerrianne. He stared in disgust. Filip hoped she wasn't a minor.

"Come on Girl, time to go." He started shaking her tattooed shoulder, a hummingbird drinking nectar from a hot pink hibiscus flower. The girl moaned.

"Now, Sweetheart." He kept pushing her until she sat up, naked except for a black G-string. Filip grabbed his jeans from the floor and pulled them on. He walked to the door and yelled, "Prospect!"

A tall, lean young man wearing a new cut hurried down the hall toward him, "Ya?"

"Take this girl home," Filip ordered. "Now."

"Ya sure. Okay." The prospect replied as the girl stumbled out of the bedroom, now wearing a tight tank top and black leather mini-skirt, carrying Lucite heels in one hand. Her hair was a mess of bleach blond with chunks of red and black highlights, sticking up on one side.

Filip went back into the room and collapsed on the bed. He closed his eyes, trying to escape the headache that drilled through the back of his head. _Shite. _He got up and forced himself to shower in the small bathroom that adjoined the bedroom before going to the small kitchen to find coffee.

It was about noon before Filip pulled out of the lot.

A cruise in the hills that surrounded Charming always cleared Filip's mind. The golden grasses above drifted low into canyons spotted by oaks. Spring was here, Filip noticed, turning the landscape a pale green, with small patches of yellow pansies and the pink blooms of chaparral currants peeking through. A red-tailed hawk floated in the distance.

Filip thought of the boy, bleeding in his arms. None of the children within the reach of the Sons were safe. He remembered chasing Abel to Belfast. In his mind, he saw Jimmy threatening his Kerrianne. Filip killed Jimmy, but could a child ever be protected in the Real IRA?

He let the loud hum of the engine drown out his thoughts.

Filip lived in a two-story dark brown brick home, unlike most of the stucco homes in Charming. The six steps to the iron-barred screen door led to an all-seasons porch, surrounded by tall windows that illuminated the white tile floor. Two French doors with tall vertical panes of glass opened into the living room. Filip never used the front door, however, instead pulling through the alley to a two car garage housed in a red steel building behind his home.

Filip took a seat on a dining room chair in the kitchen and removed his boots. He looked at the south wall where he had torn out all of the cabinets out and the sink, revealing pipes under the window. He had taken the old linoleum out, too. Beneath his feet, only wooden sheeting remained. He took off his cut and draped it across the chair.

In the living room, Filip plopped on a tan leather couch from the 1950s, adorned with saddles and lassos. He grabbed the remote from the side table. He flipped through the channels, finding nothing but reality tv, _Law and Order_ spin offs, and some sappy movie with Ryan Gosling.

He hit the button to turn the tv off and sat for a moment. "Christ," he said.

Filip pulled himself off of the couch and walked to the dining room. He opened one of the oak cabinets with glass doors built into the half wall separating the living room from the dining room. He searched for a minute, then found it on the bottom shelf: _A Brave New World._

Filip took the book back to his bedroom and lay on the bed, piling pillows behind him. He switched on the bedside lamp and began to read.

Eva took short, measured breaths. She wiped the perspiration from her forehead with the back of her right hand. Fatigue had hit her muscles 20 minutes ago, but she kept going. She was determined to finish her goal of running a 5k this morning.

She had not seen him in a week.

Eva didn't expect to hear from him, really. She hoped she would see him again those first few days, but her hope faded as each evening passed. She had no intention of going to the garage again. She knew she couldn't force it. It had to be his idea, not hers.

As she ran, _The Chemical Brothers_ blasting in her ears, she thought about her week at school. She graded tests, taught _To Kill a Mockingbird _to the freshmen, and listened to Billie scold her about the Sons of Anarchy.

She turned left off of main street toward her home. It took her a second to regain her pace when she saw Filip leaning up against his motorcycle. He smoked a cigarette and stared at her through his sunglasses.

Eva stopped running a few yards from him.

"Whot are ya doin', Sweetheart?" Filip asked.

"Running," she answered, catching her breath.

"Runnin' from whot?"

She smirked at him. "Am I being chased? I didn't realize."

"Aye hope you're not being chaste, Love." Filip teased.

"C'mon inside," said Eva as she headed toward the kitchen door.

Filip followed her into the house. Eva grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it up with water, gulping it down. "You want anything?" She asked.

"No," he replied. He leaned against the door and took off his sunglasses.

"Is everything okay?" She asked him.

"Ya. Why?" He looked at her, puzzled.

"Oh, I just haven't seen you in a while," she said, a smile in the corner of her mouth.

"Ya miss me? Did ya, Love?" He moved across the kitchen, stopping mere inches away from her.

"I did." she smiled at him.

Filip reached down and tipped her chin up, then kissed her.

Eva stopped him and said, "I'm all sweaty from my run."

"Then we can be sweaty together, Sweetheart." He picked her up and sat her down on the counter. This time, she grabbed his face in both of her hands and kissed him. Filip took off his cut and shoulder holster as she moved her hands down, unzipping his pants.

Eva woke around midday. Filip still slept beside her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Eva lay there, afraid to wake him as his breath crept down the back of her neck. After a few moments, he moved his hand back across her waist as he rolled over on his back.

"Mornin' Love. Whot's the time?" He asked her.

"I have no idea." She answered him. She looked up at the few streams of light peering through the heavy shades. "It's still daylight."

Eva rolled back toward him, lifting her head on his upper arm, staring at his chest in the shaded light of the room. "Tell me about your tattoos."

"Which one?" he asked, playing with the ends of her hair with his fingers.

She pointed to the hundred dollar tattoo on his upper chest, just below his neck. "This one."

"Aye had that one done when Aye came to the states."

"Does it mean anything?" She asked.

"To remind me Aye can't be bought." Filip answered.

Eva waited for him to continue, to tell her what that meant, but he didn't. After a brief silence, she moved on, "And this one?" pointing to the anarchy symbol on his forearm.

"From when Aye decided to prospect for the Sons in Belfast."

She walked her fingers up on his shoulder to a cross surrounded by streams of bright colors, "And this one."

"Aye got that one when Aye was a lad. One of my brothers added to et."

"Does it mean anything?" She asked.

"Aye got it 'cause Aye am Catholic." Filip answered.

"You're Catholic?" She propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him.

"Aye never said Aye was a good one, Love."

Eva laughed. "And the others are because of the club?"

"Ya." He answered.

She stared up at him and asked, "What are we going to do with the rest of our day?"

"Aye should take ya for a ride."

"Didn't you do that already?" Eva smirked.

"No, take ya out for a ride in the hills."

"Um. Or we could just stay here." Eva looked away from him and put her head back on his shoulder.

"C'mon. Let's go." Filip got out of bed, pulled his boxer briefs on, then his jeans. He reached over and gave Eva a slap on the ass. "C'mon!"

"But I need to shower…"she protested.

"No," he said as he pulled his black t-shirt on.

Eva got out of bed as he left the room. _Oh shit._ She thought. She had only been on a motorcycle once. It was over a year ago. Mike had taken her for a ride and she vowed never to go again. It wasn't that Mike was a bad driver, in fact just the opposite. He had cruised outside of Douglas at only 30 miles per hour. His caution hadn't helped her, however. Eva was afraid the entire 30 minutes they rode. Mike had wanted to make her more comfortable, to keep trying until she wasn't scared, but it wasn't worth the risk. Someone might have seen her with him.

She pulled on a clean pair of Victoria's Secret panties, her slim Levi's, and a black Nirvana T-shirt. She chose her black leather Sketchers, and found a cropped black leather jacket in the closet.

Filip waited for her in the kitchen. "Hurry up, Girl. Let's go." He said as he leaned against the door, fully dressed and wearing his cut.

"I'm almost ready, just hold on," she said as she walked over and reached into the cabinet under the sink. She grabbed a bottle of vodka and poured an ounce in a juice glass. She downed it and turned to him. "Alright. I'm ready."

Filip frowned at her and folded his arms. "You're scared, aren't ya."

Eva shifted her eyes around the room. "No…not…really."

"Aw, Christ." He rolled his eyes and pushed his hair back with his hand. "Have ya at least been on a motorbike?"

"I rode one once," She muttered.

Filip walked up to her and put his arms around her waist. "Nothin' to be afraid of Sweetheart. Aye'll be gentle."

Eva smiled up at him. "I know."

He kissed her on the forehead. "We'll have to go by TM to get another helmet," he told her.

As they passed by half-empty strip malls, she realized he was true to his word. She clung to him as he drove slowly through town. Filip eased up when they turned corners and Eva leaned into them with him, just like he told her. She could still feel her heart racing, though she wasn't as terrified as she expected to be.

Filip pulled into the lot, then walked the bike backwards as he parked by the other motorcycles. Gemma worked in the office, which surprised them both since it was a Sunday. There were a few guys sitting on the picnic tables outside the clubhouse, smoking and talking with women in tight skirts and tank tops.

Filip nodded toward Gemma. "Be careful with that one."

"I'm great with women that age," Eva reassured him. He raised an eyebrow at her. "They can feel threatened by a younger, attractive woman. I just have to let her know that I can learn from her, make her feel like she's important. I just have to show her respect and she'll love me."

He started at her for a moment, then gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. "Let me get another helmet. Be right back."

Eva walked up to the office. Since the door was open, she could see Gemma sitting at the desk, writing with her glasses on. As Eva reached the door, Gemma removed her glasses and looked up at her.

"Ya, what do you want?" Gemma asked.

Eva stepped through the door, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about bothering you the other day, having Filip-Chibs call you, asking you questions."

Gemma looked her up and down, wondering what she was up to. "Uh huh." Gemma looked outside into the lot. "You ride here with him?"

"He wanted to get another helmet," Eva explained.

Gemma stared at her. "So why did you have him call me?"

Eva took a breath and thought for a second before speaking. "I've worked with guys. I have brothers who are bikers, and I know that they are tough and would never admit it, but they need a woman around. I'm not talking about someone to have sex with, though they need that too. What they really need is a strong woman to take care of them, to listen to them and mother them, but still let them be men." Eva paused. "I've been that woman before and I could tell you're one, too."

"Really," Gemma looked at her.

"You would know the truth and most likely tell it to me. Like I said, sorry to bother you." Eva began to walk out.

"Hey, sit down," Gemma ordered her as she patted on the couch.

Eva sat down on the ragged couch and looked at Gemma, waiting for her to speak. Just then, Filip walked up to the door. "And whot are ya lovely ladies talkin' about?" He asked.

Gemma looked right at him, "Periods and breastfeeding. Come in and have a seat."

"Gonna wait over there," Filip gestured behind him toward the picnic tables.

"Okay," Eva looked at him and smiled.

"Works every time." Gemma said as she watched him leave. She leaned toward Eva and whispered, "Chibs don't take girls on bike rides and he never tells any of them about Fiona."

Eva nodded.

"So I don't know what you're getting out of this, bad boys and bikers get you off or whatever, but this is a big deal for him. You fuck around and break his heart, I'll kill ya."

"Noted," Eva replied.

"Alright," Gemma said as she sat back up, put on her glasses and picked up some papers. "You stop in again sometime."

Eva stood up and turned to Gemma, "I'll do that." Eva smiled.

"And be careful out there," Gemma added.

Eva walked across the lot, past the bikes toward the picnic tables. Filip sat on top of one, his boots on the seat, leaning on his knees with his elbows, smoking a cigarette.

_What am I doing? _Eva thought to herself.

"Well, you're still alive. Must have went well," Filip commented.

"She likes me," Eva said as she walked up and sat beside him.

"She does?" Filip looked at Eva.

Eva nodded.

A big, blue pickup pulled into the lot and parked. Nero got out and walked toward Filip, carrying a folded piece of paper in his hand. "Hey man, you're just who I wanted to see."

"Ya. Why's thot?" Filip asked.

"That kid, Raphael, he wanted me to give this to you. You saved his life, man. He's doin' okay. Doctors say he's gonna be fine, maybe walking next week." Nero handed him the folded white paper. On the front was a crude picture of a man holding a boy, red all over one of the boy's legs and on the ground. Filip opened it. Inside it said "Thank you. your my hero."

Flip closed the card, "Thanks." He patted Eva on the leg, "Let's go."

As they walked to Filip's bike, Eva asked, "So, you saved a kid?"

Filip answered, "No, not really." He folded up the paper and put it in his pocket. He would have to throw it away later.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

April passed into May in Charming and things changed.

Morning dawned earlier, meeting Eva on her daily run at the gym. Sunset stretched later and sometimes Filip rumbled down her street to her apartment while it was still light. The weather warmed, only dipping into the mid-50s at night and reaching 80 in the afternoons.

The climate changed at school, too. Chilly mornings made students wear jackets they would carry home in the afternoon or tie around their waists. The staff and faculty cooled to Eva. The warm faces of teachers disappeared. Those who once welcomed her to the school now whispered when she entered a room, staring at her. Most of them avoided her entirely, even nosy Billie.

The change in the students surprised Eva even more. The younger students seemed afraid of her, almost cowering when she passed them in the hall. The older kids stopped complaining about homework and tests. Everyone turned their assignments in on time. The usual excitement about the soon end of the school year was subdued in her classroom. A few kids ventured to ask about her new "boyfriend" before being silenced by a nudge in the side by their friends.

Several nights during the week, Filip would show up on her doorstep. The two developed a sort of a routine: Eva waited for dinner until late in the evening since he often would want to take her out, either to the Walnut Inn or a cantina across town. They would have a few drinks afterward and begin to talk. He asked most of the questions, wanting to know what life was like where she grew up in Northwestern Colorado. She told him about her truck driver parents who left when she was 14. She shared how she lived with family and her parents' friends throughout high school, about how her crazy aunt made her lie all the time to her favorite uncle. She let him know about the trips she took with her parents to California when she was a kid, stopping midnight at truck stops, a loaded 45 on the dash when they stopped in Downtown L.A. to drop off a load.

One night, as they she lounged on the couch, his head in her lap, he asked her about Mike.

"So, who was this bastard ya left in Colorado?" He asked, emphasizing each syllable of the state.

"He was a psychiatrist—not my psychiatrist," she clarified. "We saw each other for a year or so. I was a bartender and he would come in, drinking with friends a few times a week. At first, we just flirted. He would ask me to dance once in a while. Then, one night he stayed after his friends left, watching me close up since we were the only ones left in the bar." She paused. "He was married. I wanted to hate her, but I liked her. She was beautiful, graceful, educated. He was in his fifties, like his wife." Eva took a long breath and exhaled. "He finally left her. We took off down to Phoenix and lived in a hotel together for about a month. Then, he got sick."

Filip listened while she talked. "Whot happened, Love?"

"At first he didn't feel like eating. I thought it was the stress of leaving his wife. Then, he got the flu, at least, I thought it was the flu. He was nauseous and throwing up everything he ate. I told him to go to the doctor, but he wouldn't. Finally, after his skin started to yellow and he was in pain, he went. His cancer was back."

"Shite." Filip remarked.

"So he went back home. He sneaked out the first day he felt good enough to get out of bed. He left me a note and $100,000 in my bank account. He said he needed to be with his kids when he died."

"Did he die?" Filip asked her.

"Six months ago, surrounded by his kids and grandkids. His wife took care of him 'til the end."

"But you still dream about him, don' you?" He looked up at her.

"How do you know that?" She wanted to know.

"Ya cried out his name in your sleep."

"I don't dream about him as much as I used to." She confessed, "not as much since I've been with you." Eva moved his hair behind his ear and changed the subject. "What happened with you and Fiona?"

"She left me for me best friend, Jimmy," Filip said. "Not thot she was to blame. Aye loved her but didn' know how to be a husband, a _da_. Aye was a real bastard and she got tired of my shite." He admitted. "Jimmy always wanted Fi and he finally had her. Then, he had me ran out of Ireland, but not before he gave me these." Filip ran a finger across the scar on his cheek.

"That's awful," Eva said. "Are they still together?"

"Jimmy's dead."

Eva stopped breathing for a few seconds. Filip didn't say he killed Jimmy, but she knew he had.

Eva never asked him about the club. She only knew the guys' nicknames and became aware of their faces from infrequent trips to the compound. Filip didn't take her into the clubhouse or tell her where he had been. Sometimes he would get calls when they were together and he would leave. Filip didn't want to tell her and she didn't want to know.

One day after school, Eva met Gemma at the grocery store. Gemma had two kids in the cart with her, one around three years old and the other about a year and a half, if Eva had to guess. Gemma looked tired.

"How you doin'?" Gemma asked her.

"Good. How are you?" Eva replied.

"Alright. These are my grandsons."

"They're beautiful. Jax's boys?" Eva asked.

"Ya. They're good kids." Gemma paused and looked at her. "What are you doing right now?"

"Just shopping, then going home." Eva answered.

"Why don't you follow me home." Gemma suggested. "Help me with these groceries."

"Okay, sure." Eva was puzzled.

Eva checked out a few minutes later behind Gemma. Their purchases couldn't have been more different: Eva's cart was piled with greens, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain pastas and brown rice while Gemma bought gummy fruit snacks, kid's cereals, whole milk, and hot dogs. Gemma turned to her and stared at her cart while the checker scanned the groceries. "What are you like a health nut or something?"

"No, I…" Eva looked at the food in front of her. "Ya, I kind of am."

"And how does Chibs like that?" Gemma looked at her, a half smile in the corner of her mouth.

"Fine. I mean, we take turns. Sometimes it's roast beef and potatoes, other nights we have Greek-style chili over quinoa pasta." Eva dug through her cart and found a large rump roast, showing it to Gemma. Gemma raised her eyebrows.

Eva followed Gemma's black Escalade through Charming to a small, ranch-style home. She expected something grander for the MC's matriarch. Filip said that Gemma was widowed in the past few months by the former club president. Maybe that's why she lived here.

Gemma took the boys inside while Eva helped carry the groceries into the kitchen. Jax's sons played in the living room while Gemma put away groceries. She turned to Eva, "How're things going with you two?"

"Fine. Great." Eva answered.

"He still hasn't introduced you to the club?" Gemma asked, putting the milk in the stainless steel fridge.

"No. I don't think he wants me a part of all of that. He doesn't talk about the club and I don't ask. It's like he's in a different world when we are together."

Gemma stopped and looked at her, putting a hand on her hip. "That's not going to work, baby. If you are part of his life, then you are part of the club. We may not be members, but SAMCRO is still our family."

"I'm not going to push my way in. He'll ask me when he's ready." Eva folded her arms as she leaned against the counter.

Gemma moved closer to her. "Or maybe he's waiting for you to ask. Maybe he's afraid you don't want any part of it."

Eva took a deep breath before moving to the table and sitting down in a chair. "I don't know if I do."

"You gotta decide, sweetheart. That world you think you have with him, outside of the club, you think it's gonna last? It won't, baby. It's only going to rip him apart." Gemma stared at her for a second, before returning to the grocery bag. "The club needs a party. It's been too long, with all the shit that's been going on. I'll ask Jax if he can have it Saturday night. You come with Chibs, bring something good to snack on, none of that rabbit food crap."

As Eva drove home she thought about what Gemma said. She thought about Mike and his two lives: one with his wife, his practice, his kids and the other hidden, secret, with her. She felt a pang of irrational guilt; she knew about the terminal cancer, about the tumors that tore him up inside. However, part of her had always wondered if leaving home made him sick again. She wondered if she ultimately caused his death.

She parked outside of her home and stared at it for a moment. It had been three months since she bought the three unit apartment building with half of the money Mike left her. She needed to rent out the other two apartments, but didn't want to advertise. She had seen her parents deal with deadbeat tenants in her grandma's old house. Maybe her biker boyfriend could enforce the rental agreement and collect rent. She laughed at herself.

Filip arrived at about 5:00pm, much earlier than usual. He walked in and removed his boots before moving behind her, reaching his arms around her waist as she made supper, slicing red pepper strips with her ulu knife. "What are we eatin' tonight, Love?" He asked her before giving her a kiss on the neck.

"Pasta peperonata with toasted rosemary breadcrumbs," she answered, tossing the peppers in the hot skillet. "I didn't plan on you being her so early."

"Smells great," he commented before removing his shoulder holster, hiding it beneath his cut on the back of the chair.

"I talked to Gemma today," she told him, moving on to slicing the onion in thin strips.

"Ya? Aye didn' see you at TM." He walked over and leaned against the sink, watching her cook.

"I saw her in the grocery store. She asked me to bring food to the party she wants to have for the club on Saturday night." she turned to him. "Is that okay?"

"Ya, fine, though you could ask me without a chib in your hand." He looked down at the blade she used to cut the onions.

"Do I scare you, Mr. Badass Biker?" She laughed as she turned to him.

"Sometimes." Filip answered, as he grabbed her and kissed her on the mouth. "How soon will that be done?"

"Uh, probably 15 minutes. Why?"

"We got to go, Sweetheart." He told her.

"Go where?" She asked, stirring the onions and peppers in the skillet.

"Aye got tickets for The Dead Weather at the Warfield, but we have to leave in half hour," he pulled the tickets out of his back pocket.

"Oh my God!" Eva yelled as she embraced him. She let go and put her hands on both sides of his face, giving him a big kiss. "Oh shit! I have to get ready!" She hurried out of the kitchen, then came back, turning the stove off before rushing back to her bedroom.

"Whot about the food?" Filip yelled at her.

"Fuck the food!" She hollered back.

Within twenty minutes, Eva frantically moved around the kitchen almost ready to go, sporting a black and white horizontal striped ¾ sleeved shirt, skinny black jeans, and a maroon cropped biker jacket. Since she began seeing Filip, she updated her wardrobe to include more blacks, more leather, and deep red. Wearing her new attire to The Dead Weather concert seemed like a perfect fit. Filip stared her up and down as she notified him she was ready to go,.

Filip easily weaved through traffic on the 580 into Oakland. By the time they reached the Bay Bridge, Eva's arms ached from clinging to him during the ride. As they ascended the first bridge, she looked at the dusk beyond. The high rises of San Francisco sparkled, framed by the blush of sunset. The bay below was still and the wind carried the smell of the ocean, kissing her face and whipping through her hair. Filip gave her this, this moment where she felt like she was flying; she knew she was in love.

The hour and a half ride brought them to downtown San Francisco. Filip took the sixth street exit and drove north toward the theater. Although it was just past sundown, Eva was glad she was with Filip. Dealers advertised speedballs for sale as they strolled along the queue. Homeless men babbled obscenities from across the street.

Built in the 1920s, the interior design of the Warfield was reminiscent of a gilded age. Inside, giant chandeliers illuminated grand golden arches and ornate detail. Huge scarlet drapes pulled their eyes upward to idyllic murals on the ceiling. The theater seemed more suited for a production of _The Damnation of Faust_ than the raw rock and blues of Jack White and Allison Mosshart.

Filip and Eva found their seats in section of the upper loge, closer to the stage than she could have dreamed. About 15 minutes before the show began, they took their seats. He put his arm around her and she nestled in. "I still can't believe we're here," she commented.

"As long as you're happy."

Just then, Filip's phone rang. He apologized to Eva and said he would be right back. Filip walked down the aisle and made his way to the lobby. It was Jax. He wanted to know where Filip was.

"Downtown San Francisco," he answered.

"I need you man. We need to meet Nero in Oakland." Jax told him.

"Busy Jackie-boy. Get Happy or Juice or Tiggy."

"Gotta be you, brother. You're gonna want to be there."

"Aye will not leave my girl here alone, Jackie."

"Fine, I'll bring the prospect. He can stay there with her."

Filip took a deep breath and pushed his hair back from his face. "Ya. Alright. Meet me at 6th and Market Street."

"Market Street? What are you doin' there, bro?"

Filip ignored his question. "You can pick me up outside the Warfield."

"See you soon, man."

Filip slammed the phone shut. _Shite!_ Now what? The night he'd promised his girl was fucked. He walked to the bar and ordered a double shot of Jim Beam and a White Russian. Filip turned and looked at the crowd, still scurrying about before the concert began. When the drinks arrived, he downed the Jim Beam and asked the bartender for a nice hotel nearby. He set a fifty on the bar and moved it toward the bartender. "Give me the number and ya can keep the change."

After making reservations at the Parc 55 Windham, Filip squeezed his way through the crowd back into the theater. He gazed over at Eva, smiling and cheering as The Ettes took the stage, her light brown hair catching the light from above. _Goddammit._ As he shifted his body through the people to get back to her, she beamed, glad he had returned. "Everything okay?" She yelled him as he sat down.

"Aye have to go, Sweetheart." He hollered back as he handed her the drink.

"What? Now?" She looked at him in disbelief.

"In hour and a half. Aye have to go for club business, but Aye should be back in an hour, two at the most," he leaned over and said in her ear, trying to speak above the heavy guitar licks coming from the stage.

She stared ahead and didn't respond. Then, she got up without a word and stormed toward the exit. Filip grabbed her shoulder after she walked into the lobby.

"Aye'm sorry, Love. Aye got us a hotel. We'll make a holiday of it. The prospect is going to come and stay 'til Aye get back. If ya need to, ya call this number and the hotel will get you," he gave her a piece of torn paper with a phone number. "Tell 'em you're with Mr. Carey."

"Mr. Carey?" Eva frowned and crossed her arms.

He handed her a MasterCard issued to PHILIP CAREY. Then, he put his hands on her shoulders, "And for Christ's sake don' leave here on foot." Filip scanned the room before reaching into his front jean pocket, palming its contents and slipping it into her pocket.

She glared at him. "Did you just slip a knife in my pocket?"

"You know how to use it?"

"I know that if I keep it low and use it to slice open a femoral artery in someone's thigh they will bleed to death before I can get help."

Filip stared at her, dumbstruck.

"What? I studied anatomy for a while. I think the human body is fascinating."

"Ya call me if you need me." He looked into her eyes.

"Alright. Fine."

"Let's go watch some of this before Aye have to leave then." Filip put his arm around her, escorting her back into the concert.

Midway through _The Dead Weather's_ "Blue Blood Blues" Filip kissed Eva's forehead and walked out of the theater. She followed him out into the lobby.

"Ya can' go with me," he notified her.

"Well, no shit." She paused. "I want a smoke."

"Okay." He put his hand on her back, leading her out the door.

After leaving the building, he pulled two cigarettes out of his pack, lit them both, then handed her one. She said nothing. They stood in silence until Jax and the prospect pulled up in a black van.

Jax rolled down the window and nodded at them. The prospect walked around the van toward Eva and Filip. She had seen him working in the garage at Teller-Morrow. He was tall, probably about 6'4" or 6'5" if she had to guess, though his lean frame made him look taller. He wore a fitted black T-Shirt with lightning bolts on the side and a pair of weathered slim fit jeans. Filip, Jax, and the prospect were without their cuts this evening: when they were outside of Charming, especially in the city, it was often best to remain non-descript, anonymous, instead of riding around with their name emblazoned on their backs.

After the prospect walked up to Eva and Filip, Filip grabbed him by the back of the neck, pulling his head down, and speaking to him in a quiet voice. "Keep your bloody hands off my lady and your eyes open, Prospect."

"Understood."

Filip pulled his concert bracelets off and gave them and the tickets to the prospect. "And ya make sure ya check your goddamned phone every five minutes so Aye don' have to wait for your ass."

Filip turned back to Eva. "Be right back, Love." He moved in and kissed her forehead.

After they pulled away, the prospect introduced himself, "I'm Brady."

"I'm pissed off and angry."

"Alright then. Wanna go inside? I've wanted to see Jack White for like, ever."

"Sure," Eva answered.

Eva looked at all the other couples in the theater, screaming and cheering. Despite the fact that she was standing like the rest of the crowd, she wasn't enjoying the concert. All she could think of was how he left her here, with some kid, a prospect. _Who does that? _Just then, the band began to play "I Need a Man." She needed a drink. She needed to think.

_So this is what it's like._

_Filip would choose the club over her._ She was afraid of admitting it to herself. As Allison Mosshart belted out the Janis Joplin cover, she knew she had to make the choice. Either she should be with him, with the club, or she must let him go. She thought of his hand moving down the curve of her waist. She remembered him making her breakfast in the mornings. She felt his fingers move her hair away from her face as her head lay in his lap. She heard the thunderous bike underneath them as they rode through the canyons. She took a breath and tried to let the music drown out her thoughts.

Jax tried to talk to Filip on the way back into Oakland, but Filip only gave him one word replies. Usually Filip would have asked what they were doing, where they were going, but not tonight. Tonight, it really didn't matter. All that mattered was he left her in that goddamned theater to do shite work for Nero.

The van came to a stop in the rail yard. Filip could see Nero in the headlights, taller than the two bangers he was with. After Jax and Filip exited the van and their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they could see two figures kneeling ahead by the men. They wore oversized white T-shirts, baggy jeans, and cloth bags over their heads. Nero greeted Filip and Jax, then explained to Filip why he was there: these were the rival bangers who tried to kill them and who shot that kid.

Filip corrected Nero, "We don' know who shot the lad."

Nero blinked at him and frowned. "I thought you'd want to do the honors, ese." He handed Filip a gun with a silencer already attached.

Filip stared at him as he took the gun. He walked to the kneeling men and pulled off the bags over their heads. "Aye don' kill men Aye can' see." The young men pleaded through their gags, tears streaming down their faces. "Christ!" Filip exclaimed. "They're just lads." He looked at Jax.

"You gonna do this or not bro? They shot that kid," Jax argued.

Filip turned to Jax and Nero and pointed at them with his empty hand. "We coulda shot that kid." He paused, then raised the gun, "Sorry, lads." He put a bullet in the head of one, then the other. He handed the gun back to Nero with his gloved hand, then began walking back to the van.

In the bathroom back at the Warfield, Filip splashed cool water over his face and looked himself in the eyes. Now, he had to face Eva. She smiled weakly at him when he moved back to their seats. Instead of kissing her, he reached over and took her hand. Only minutes remained of the concert, which was fine with Filip; he knew he ruined it for her already.

Eva knew something was wrong as soon as he got back. The excitement in his eyes was gone, replaced by exhaustion. She didn't know where he had went or what he was doing, as usual. He held her close as they left the theater, the rest of the crowd laughing and shouting as they spilled out onto the sidewalk. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that she wasn't angry anymore, but she didn't know how. Instead, she pulled herself close to him as they walked to the bike, clinging tighter as they rode the few blocks to their hotel.

Filip liked nice things. Growing up with nothing in Glasgow, he knew how to go without. He knew how little he needed to survive and that he would never starve again. Filip saved his earnings with the club. However, once in a while, he would really spend, he would go all out on something. The Parc 55 Windham hotel was one of those moments. In the wide, modern lobby, he also avoided the credit card charges by paying in cash with a wink, _So me wife doesn' know. _ Instead of choosing a standard room, Filip went with an executive suite filling over 500 square feet. The floor length windows which made up the exterior walls showcased a stunning view of the high rises in the city. As Eva stood in awe at her surroundings, she knew he must think she was really, really upset with him. She hugged him and told him how gorgeous the room was.

Despite the lavish surroundings, Filip could not shake the image of those lads out of his mind. He was tired of the blood, tired of the death which ironically encompassed the Reaper these days. His lady was with him, thrilled at their lodgings, but he didn't feel like sex. He felt dirty, and not in a good way. He excused himself from Eva's embrace and told her he needed to shower. Maybe he could wash away the guilt.

Eva fell back on the massive bed with the pristine white bedspread and sighed. She had forgiven him, but obviously he still felt guilty. She knew in her heart that it wasn't about the concert and leaving her there, but from something worse, wherever he was, whatever he did.

She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and called Mr. Wissel, the high school principal. She gave him her best performance and he told her to get better by Monday. At least she would have Friday and the weekend to recover from her illness. She hated lying, but there was no way she could be in class at 8:00am tomorrow morning.

Hearing the shower turn on in the bathroom, she decided to join Filip. The heat from the crowd at the Warfield had soaked her with sweat. She also knew that his mood would change upon seeing her naked and wet.

She walked across the room to the bathroom door and saw the door was open an inch. She spied Filip in the reflection of the mirror, sitting on the toilet, shirt off, leaning forward. At first she was afraid he was ill, but then she saw his hands, clasping the beads he wore around his wrist, moving one, then another. His head was down and she heard his unintelligible whispering. She turned around and went back to the bed. She removed her jeans and shoes and curled up between the sheets.

Fifteen minutes later, he left the bathroom and walked to the mini bar in this boxer briefs. After downing a few bottles, Filip crawled into bed with Eva, his wet hair dampening the pillow. He moved up behind her and put his arm around her waist. "Aye was a medic in the British Army."

"What?" She asked.

"The lad who Nero said Aye saved, because Aye was a medic."

"Oh. Okay."

"Aye love you," Filip said for the first time.

"I love you, too."


	5. Chapter 5

The Parc 55 Windham was located in Downtown San Francisco, making it a perfect launching pad for exploring the city by cable car or visiting Union Square. The nearby BART station gave Filip and Eva easy access to North Beach, Chinatown, and Jack London Square, but instead they stayed in their room, discovering each other and gazing at the skyscrapers from the luxurious bed. Neither one had a change of clothes, which wasn't a problem; it was easier to stay undressed, bathing with each other, eating room service in their underwear, and making love with the curtains open. Both seemed to have forgotten the sins of Thursday night. They laughed and teased and Filip began to reveal more about the club. He confessed that SAMCRO used to run guns, even drugs for a short while. Filip sensed that she was afraid and tried to calm her fears by telling her all was quiet in the club now.

On Saturday afternoon, Filip dropped Eva off at her home. He knew he should go home, too, change his clothes and check the mail. Instead, he thundered through the streets of Charming, the sun shining on his face, the warm breeze moving around his neck. That damn girl had made the weekend perfect. After the shitty way he left her at the concert, she forgave him. She didn't pout or whine or demand. She looked at him with those blue-green eyes of hers, seeing through him. The club had fallen apart in the past year, but she kept him together. She made him happy.

Filip pulled into TM just behind Gemma. He could see Jax and Juice working on a Ford F-150 in the garage. He needed to catch up with Jax, but he wouldn't say a word with that rat bastard, Juice, there. Jax still hadn't brought him to the table yet. Filip knew he was still using Juice, but he didn't know what for. Filip backed his bike in and spit on the ground.

Gemma met him at the entrance of the clubhouse, two paper grocery sacks in her arms. Filip took them from her after he propped open the door.

"Thanks," Gemma said. "Where you been?" She asked him as he followed her inside.

"The city," he answered, setting the bags on the bar.

"With your old lady?" She smirked at him.

"She's not my old lady." Filip took his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket as he leaned against the bar, lighting up with his Zippo.

"And why not? You don't trust her?"

"Course Aye do."

"Then, what's the problem?" Gemma asked, taking bottles of liquor out of the bags.

"Aye can' do et to her."

"Can't do what?" Gemma put the liquor down and stared at him.

Filip sighed and took a long drag, "Ya know whot, Sweetheart. You know whot happens to old ladies. We know whot happened to you, those animals of Zobel's? Look whot happened to Fiona. And Tara in lockdown? And Donna? And Luann?" He paused and looked down before meeting her eyes again. "Aye can' let thot happen to her, not for me."

Gemma moved toward him. "You think bad shit doesn't happen to other people? Bad shit happens all the time. In six months she could be killed in a car accident. She could get shot in some school. You let her go, bad shit is still gonna happen to her, except you won't be there."

Filip took the last drag on his cigarette, then put it out in the ashtray.

"Now," Gemma said as she returned to stocking the cabinet, "we have a party to get ready for."

When Eva dropped the tortilla chips and dip off at the clubhouse that afternoon, Gemma was still there. The MC matriarch opened the plastic container, surveyed the contents and gave it a smell. Eva told her it was black bean and fire roasted corn dip. Gemma found a spoon and sampled it, then complimented her. Eva asked if she needed help, but Gemma told her that's what prospects were for. The two women made small talk for a few minutes, then Eva said she was going home to get ready. Gemma stopped her before she left.

"You're good for him, you know that? He's happy." Gemma informed her.

"I hope so." Eva smiled and walked out the door.

Filip greeted her with a kiss when he showed up at her apartment right after sundown. She wore a silky maroon sleeveless v-neck top with large ruffles down the front, skinny blue jeans and heeled black boots. She pulled her cropped black leather jacket on and asked him how she looked.

"Great. Nervous?" He asked.

"A little. I mean, you're finally taking me home to meet your family."

Filip grinned. "Don' be. They'll love you." He took her head in his hands and gave her a kiss. He walked to the cabinet and poured them two shots of Jameson. "So ya know, we have church before we party."

"Church?" She asked him.

"Whot we call MC meetings."

"Oh. So you are going to leave me alone when we get there? For how long?" She looked at him, incredulously.

"Not more than an hour."

"An hour!" She exclaimed. "What am I supposed to do for an hour?"

"Calm down, Love. You can talk with Gemma, the prospect…"

"Alright, ya. I guess. Whatever." She went to the door. "Let's go already."

By the time they reached Teller-Morrow, the lot was almost empty, save the row of Harleys. The Redwood chapter had dwindled in recent years, but the other bikers from town and croweaters who always showed up to party weren't there yet. Eva walked past a few women in various states of dress sitting on the picnic tables and standing around with men in T-shirts which showed off tattoos on their arms, some wearing bandanas on their heads.

Eva walked into the clubhouse behind Filip. She saw that the other members of the club were already seated in the room in the double doors beyond. He stopped at the bar and poured himself a shot of Jameson. He looked at Eva and poured her one, too. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth and told her he would be out soon. Then, he walked into the chapel and shut the doors.

Church was uneventful. It seemed as though Toric, the former U.S. Marshall, had backed off; no one had seen him around Charming for a few weeks. The Chinese and the Mayans still upheld their arrangements with the Galindo cartel. Nero was still too busy reclaiming his territory to make much progress with Diosa, the escort service the club had invested in. Charming Heights was still on hold following the death of Pope. SAMCRO was officially broke, their only income from occasionally being hired guns for Nero.

The club had a new enemy, however. Instead of a king from Oakland, the Russians, or the bloodthirsty cartel, SAMCRO faced a previously unknown foe. There had been years of peace in the Son's history. In fact, the comfortable days outnumbered the bloody. The greatest adversary of the club wasn't a rival gang; it was restlessness, boredom. Happy turned to his tattoo shop, keeping busy inking the naked flesh of students from the nearby community college. Jax's rage about Tara fumed beneath his calm exterior without the violent release of beatings and murder; he nearly cut the throat of a rude customer at the garage a few weeks ago. Tiggy roughed up a couple of the Diosa whores, something that Jax had to smooth over with Nero. Bobby disappeared in his Elvis impersonations, making several appearances a week. Juice, still Jax's errand boy, spent half of his time stoned. Filip knew he and Bobby were the only ones comfortable with the peace.

Eva looked around the room of strangers. She felt uncomfortable, out of place. She asked Brady, the prospect, for a rum and Coke and a cigarette. He pulled one out of his pack, gave it to her and lit it. She stood there at the bar, her back to the room. As she sipped on her drink and pulled a drag off the cigarette. She decided to believe that she was supposed to be there. If she could convince herself, then everyone else would think it, too.

"Hey, thanks for the other night." She said to Brady.

"No problem. I mean, I got to see Jack White." He laughed. Apparently, he laughed a little after everything he said. They began to discuss music and she learned that he loved to play guitar, though he didn't have one anymore. Brady had the rare habit of making complete eye contact with the person he was talking to, which was disconcerting at first. He told her about his dad who was in prison and his mom, the schizophrenic. He hitchhiked to California from Missouri two years ago. He stopped by the garage looking for work and the club took him in. Now, Brady slept on a couch in the clubhouse, choosing to spend his wages on a 1997 Harley Davidson Softail. He still owed Chibs over $5000, but he was working to pay it off.

Soon Gemma arrived with the tall Latino man who had thanked Filip for saving that kid weeks ago. Following behind them, a dozen women in tight mini dresses in high heels walked in and made themselves comfortable around the room. Eva assumed they were prostitutes, though she felt a little guilty about assuming.

"Hey, Baby." Gemma said, walking up to Eva. "They still in there?" She looked toward the chapel.

"They've been in there about 30 minutes."

"They'll come out soon enough. Come sit with us." Gemma asked Brady for a beer and Nero held his hand up, declining a drink when asked. They walked over to one of the empty tables and chairs, then sat down. "This is Nero," Gemma introduced.

"I'm Eva," she held out her hand and Nero shook it across the table.

"I saw you before with Chibs, right?" Nero observed.

Eva nodded.

"Our girl here is a teacher," Gemma continued.

"A teacher? What do you teach?" Nero asked.

"High school English."

"Ah. I see," Nero responded. "I never was no good at English."

"So what do you do, if you don't mind me asking?" Eva inquired.

"I'm a companionator."

Gemma rolled her eyes. "What he meant to say is that he's a pimp."

"Oh…" Eva looked around the room.

"Yep. Those are his whores." Gemma continued.

"I see." Eva laughed.

A few moments later, the doors to the chapel opened and the men began filing out. Filip looked at Eva and she accidentally bumped into one of the call girls as she got out of her chair.

"Oh. Sorry." She apologized.

The woman with long blond hair and a tight turquoise dress shoved Eva. "Back off, bitch!"

In an instant, Eva grabbed the woman's right arm with her right hand. Eva pulled her closer while simultaneously turning the whore's back toward Eva. Eva snatched the woman's left wrist in her left hand, pulling her arms back like a straight jacket. Eva threw her to the floor, landing on top of the woman who was face down.

Eva leaned down and stated, "You have no idea what I'm capable of." The prostitute struggled for a second, then stopped as Eva pulled her arms back tighter, causing the woman to cry out. "Are you done?" Eva continued. She held her there for a minute before asking, "Are you going to behave or would you like to find out what else…I'm capable of?"

Eva let go of one arm, then the other as she stood back up. The call girl slowly rose to her feet, looking back for a second at Eva before scurrying to the other side of the room.

Filip and the other Sons stood in the doorway of the chapel, staring at the women as they got to their feet. Juice turned to Filip, "Your old lady's a fuckin' ninja? That's so cool."

Filip corrected him, "She's no ninja," neglecting the comment about her being his old lady.

Eva walked up to the men. "Sorry about that."

"Where the hell did you learn how to do that?" Tig asked her.

"Two years working at a juvenile prison." Eva stated.

"Why didn't you just fuck her up, Darlin'?" Jax asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Why would I want to ruin Nero's investment, unless I had to?" Eva asked him back. She noticed Bobby meet Filip's eyes. The bikers chuckled as Filip put his arm around her and walked her to the bar.

Filip asked Brady to pour them shots. Eva downed hers and Filip asked if she wanted to see the rest of the clubhouse. She said sure and he led her down the hall, toward the mint green embellished bike mounted into the wall. They turned the corner and Filip pushed her up against the wall, his body firm against hers.

"Ya have any more secrets from me, Love?" He whispered in her ear. He began to kiss her neck as he moved his hand from her hip back toward her ass, the other working its way up the back of her shirt.

She reached up with one of her hands and pulled his hair, causing his head to fall back, his face now inches away from hers. "Would you like to find out?" Then, she kissed him, hard and full. "My place?" She stopped, gasping for air.

"Not tonight." He took her hand and they sneaked out of the back door.

In the six weeks since they began to see each other, Eva had never seen the inside of Filip's house. She would ask him about it and he would put her off, saying it was a mess and that he would show her another time. She wasn't sure why he chose tonight to invite her in, but he did. He walked her through the back door, up the three steps into the unfinished kitchen. Filip offered her no explanation for the lack of cabinets or flooring in the kitchen, instead leading her into the dining room, then down the short hallway past the bathroom to his bedroom.

As they lay in bed naked later that night, her head resting on his upper arm, Filip asked her, "Ya want to be my old lady?"

"What does that mean?"

"It means that instead of just being mine, you belong to all of us, to the club."

"I belong to the club?" She asked him. "Uh. No thanks."

"Not thot. Et means thot you're one of us. You can't be a Son, but you can be a daughter instead. We all look out for you, make sure you're safe." Filip explained.

"And what does it mean for us if I'm an 'old lady'?"

"It means we take care of each other, like now. It means we're not with anyone else, Love."

Eva exhaled. "Except the club."

"Yes. Thot's about right." Filip finished.

They awoke to the ringing of Filip's cell phone. It was Bobby, telling him that Phil was dead. Filip told her there was a club emergency and that he had to go. He pulled on his boxer briefs and jeans from last night, then grabbed a clean black T-shirt out of his dresser. Eva was annoyed. Filip said that he would take her out for breakfast when he got back. She wondered how late that would be.

After Filip left, Eva closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. Unlike her room at home, his bedroom was bright with sunlight peeking in through the north window. She groaned and dragged herself out of bed, grabbing Filip's black T-shirt from last night and pulling it on. It smelled of him: smoke and wind and automotive grease with a hint of aftershave. She walked down the red carpeted hallway and found the bathroom on her left. As her bare feet stepped on the white hexagon tile, she frowned. She loved the white subway tiles halfway up the walls, but there was no shower. She would have to take a bath in the apron style tub.

Instead of a table and chairs, the Filip's dining room held a small dorm sized refrigerator on one Mission-style end table and a microwave on another. A cheap coffee pot was on the top of the refrigerator with a can of store brand coffee. There was no food in his house, except for a few packages of Cup-O-Noodles.

After making a pot of coffee with water from the bathroom, Eva pulled a weathered copy of _Leaves of Grass _from the built-in bookcase. She wore one of his v-neck black t-shirts and her jeans from the night before. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. She stretched out on the couch and began to read.

Filip arrived at the clubhouse and found Bobby, Juice, and Happy standing around Phil's half naked body which was sprawled on one of the couches.

"Whot happened?" Filip asked as he walked up to them.

Jax and Tig walked through the door, "What the hell?" Jax yelled.

"One of Nero's girls woke up with him this morning," Juice explained.

"Except he didn't wake up." Bobby elaborated.

"Whot are we going to do here, Jackie?" Filip turned to Jax.

"Shit. I don't know." Jax replied, staring down at Phil. "What did he die from?"

"We didn't find any drugs, but who knows." Bobby told him.

"Aye'm not a doctor, but Aye'd guess it was a heart attack. He had to be pushin' 400 lbs."

"I think he was a diabetic." Juice contributed.

"So what are we going to do here, Boss?" Tig turned to Jax.

"Um..."

"It was natural causes, so like, we could just call an ambulance, right?" Juice suggested.

"But even if it was natural causes, the club don't need any more heat after all of the shit from this last year." Bobby reasoned.

"Should we call our friend to make him ashes, boys?" Filip asked.

"Then, how in the fuck are we going to move him?" Tig interrupted.

"We got a pallet jack in the garage." said Happy.

"Shit," Jax chuckled for the first time in weeks.

Unfortunately, the pallet jack didn't fit into the clubhouse. Brady and Rat, wrapped Phil's body in a tarp, then secured it with bungee straps. The other prospect ended up bringing over the engine hoist from the garage, which didn't work either. Tig, Happy, and Juice tried to carry him out of the clubhouse, but then Tig cracked a joke and they couldn't quit laughing, dropping Phil's body on the floor. The men felt guilty about laughing and tried to stop, but they couldn't. This wasn't Opie. Phil went down with a sexy, naked woman on top of him in the safety of the Sons' clubhouse. He wasn't shot or beaten to death. Besides, they hardly knew him; he rarely spoke. About two hours later, Phil's body finally made it into the club's black van. It was a cool day, thankfully, so they could wait until after nightfall to take him to the crematorium. They would hold a party in his honor soon; he was still a Son.

There was work for the club that night, too. Jax told the men that Nero needed them to provide back up as he tried to reclaim a corner. Filip declined while Juice and Tig jumped at the chance to go. Filip knew he was running short on cash, but his heart wasn't in the senseless gangbanger violence. He no longer needed that adrenaline rush, at least, not as often.

Eva was on the couch reading when Filip came home.

"So is all well in the MC?" She asked him.

"Phil is dead." Filip replied, taking a seat in one of the two leather chairs that matched his couch.

"Oh my God! What happened?" Eva sat up and looked at him. "Who is Phil?"

"The large lad. We think a heart attack. He died underneath one of Nero's girls." Filip grinned.

"So are the authorities going to do an autopsy?"

"No authorities, Love. The club is going to handle it."

"Handle it?" Eva looked at him suspiciously.

"He's goin' to be cremated. We'll give him a send off in a day or so." Filip answered. "We don' want none of them nosing around, you understand?"

"I guess." Eva looked around the room. "You really don't have much for furniture, do you? I mean, I do love this couch and chairs, though. It's so Gene Autry." She smiled.

"Et's all in the garage. Aye wanted to wait 'til Aye re-did the place, but…" Filip trailed off.

"By the way," she told him, "your coffee sucks."

"Now you know why Aye spend the night at your house." He laughed.

Later that night, Filip and Eva made dinner together at her house. Filip peeled the potatoes while Eva mixed up the egg and readied the cube steaks for breading. Most nights they completed this ritual, preparing food with each other, eating dinner, then sharing the clean up. Eva sometimes had to remind herself that he was a hardened biker, domestic as he seemed with a paring knife in his hand. Filip also noticed how different he was with her, kinder, gentler.

At about 8:00pm, just after they finished putting the cleaned dishes away, Filip got another call on his cell. He pulled the flip phone out of his pocket and answered. Eva could see something was wrong. He covered his eyes with his empty hand, then pulled it down across his beard. He agreed he would be right there. He shut the phone and stood there, staring at her.

"What is it?" She asked him.

He looked her in the eyes, then took a deep breath, exhaling before he spoke. "Aye need you, Love. Aye need your help."

"My help?" Eva was confused. "My help with what?"

"Will you come?" He asked her, his face grave.

"Ya, sure. Of course." She answered. "What am I helping with?"

"Juice has been shot."

Eva stayed silent until they arrived at Teller-Morrow. Other than a few CPR and first aid courses, she had no idea about how to give someone medical treatment, let alone someone who had been shot. What did he expect her to do? What if she failed? What if Juice died?

Finally, as they were walking toward the clubhouse, she grabbed Filip by the right arm and stopped him. "What am I supposed to fucking do? I have no idea how to deal with a gunshot wound!"

Filip sighed and looked away. "Aye fuckin' hate thot rat in there," he said through clenched teeth. "Aye don' want to tend his wound. Aye want him to bleed, to suffer. You are here because you make me better. You make me good." He put his hand on the side of her face and looked into her eyes, then gave her a quick kiss. "C'mon."

They were met at the door by Jax. He explained that the rival gang was ready for them when they got to East Oakland. Firefight erupted down the sidewalks and they hid in the doorways of vacant store fronts. Jax dropped two of the men, while Tig took out another two. They chased the remaining banger down a dark alley and he popped off one last shot before Jax took him down. Juice was hit in the upper arm.

Eva had never seen a bullet wound before. She was terrified as she entered the club. Filip led her to the kitchen first, where they both washed their hands well. "Are you ready for this?" He asked her.

"No, but I have to be, don't I?" She responded. Eva pulled her shoulders back and walked with purpose into the inner sanctum of the MC clubhouse.

Jax and Tig had helped Juice lay back on the engraved table in the chapel. Tig was holding what appeared to be a balled up T-shirt over Juice's left upper arm. There was a layer of pot smoke floating at the top of the room. Sweat beaded on Juice's forehead. He kept squeezing his eyes shut and trying to blink away the tears.

Eva walked right over to him, meeting his eyes. "Hey Juice. I've seen you better." She smiled at him.

Juice gave her a weak grin back. "Ya."

"You know Fil—Chibs will take good care of you."

Juice didn't look so convinced.

"You'll be fine, Juicy." Filip added, looking into Eva's eyes.

Filip asked her over to a cabinet at the end of the room. It was full of medical supplies, tapes, gauze, scalpels and scissors, bottles of antiseptics and drugs. She even saw a few IV bags. Shocked, Eva asked him where it all came from. Filip told her that most of it came from an ambulance that Half-Sack had stolen and the rest was from Tara. She was a doctor, Filip explained. He offered no explanation, however, when she asked why Tara didn't come to take care of the bullet wound. He stated he would tell her later.

Filip started by handing Eva two tablets of oxycodone, one oxycontin tablet and 500mg of Ciproflaxin to give to Juice. With a gloved hand, Filip removed the bloody t-shirt and looked at the wound. The bullet passed right through and thankfully, missed the bone and any major arteries. Eva watched him, hands also gloved while injected a local anesthetic and rinsed the bullet hole with Betadine.

While Filip was working, Eva reached for Juice's hand and she began to talk to him, first making small talk. Juice asked her about the kiddie prison she worked at and she told him she actually worked with the 14-19 year old sex offenders. She learned how to be tough there, she told him, how to stand taller than she was and how to stare down fear since there were times she was in the dorm alone with 18 of the young men. She told him all of her stories including when she restrained a 16 year-old St. Louis kid in the bathroom, ripping off the bathroom sink in the process. The painkillers began to cause Juice to drift off and he passed out.

She looked at Filip, as he began to stuff the wound with Quick Clot Silver gauze. He explained to her that the bleeding had subsided due to the pressure Tig had placed on the wound. The specialized gauze would help prevent infection. He began to wrap the gunshot with more gauze and paper tape.

Filip told Jax that Juice should be taken home when he awoke. Someone should stay with him, however. Jax found Brady and ordered him to stay with Juice. Filip told them he would check back in a few hours to change the dressing.

Eva followed Filip out of the clubhouse. They each took a seat on the picnic table and he lit two cigarettes, passing her one.

"You did very good in there, Love. Thank you." He said.

"This is part of it, too, isn't it, being your old lady?" She asked.

"Aye." He answered.

Filip took Eva back to her house. Instead of going inside, he sat down on the curb and she sat beside him. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes, removing a joint instead. He lit it up and passed it to her. Surprised, she looked at it, then took a slow drag. It had been years since she smoked pot. She asked him to tell her about Juice. He told her that Juice was his prospect, that he took Juice in. He used to love that kid, but he turned rat and made a deal with the feds. The case was eventually dropped and Juice was outed by the sheriff. Jax offered Juice a road to redemption and used him to get Clay. Filip still hadn't forgiven him.

"You still love him, don't you?"

"Aye don' want to. Fuckin' rat," Filip confessed. "Ya, aye do."

"You were very kind to him today." Eva told him.

"Cuz' you were there, Sweetheart." Filip put his arm around her.

"The answer is yes."

"'Yes' whot?" He took another drag.

"I'll be your old lady."

"Good." He said as he pulled her closer.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Filip and Eva spent nearly every night together.

He would wake in the morning, usually at her place. He made coffee for her as she showered. After she had a cup and stopped hating the world, they would talk as she got ready. He sat on the closed lid of the toilet and watched her as she curled her long light brown hair, then pulled her fingers through the large curls. They discussed the day ahead; Filip let her know if he would be on club business after the garage closed and she told him what she would be teaching.

About once a week, she would bring take-out to his house. They would sit on the couch, her feet in his lap as they ate flautas with pico de gallo and guacamole out of Styrofoam containers. He started keeping ready-to-serve bottles of White Russians in his fridge right beside his Founders Dirty Bastard Ale. They began to plan his kitchen together, where to put counters and what type of cabinets to install. Soon they started browsing Home Depot and Lowe's together, searching for the perfect components. He hated that the money wasn't there to begin.

Filip watched as Eva eased into her role as an old lady. She went to all of SAMCRO's parties, getting to know the other guys. Soon the men began seeing her as their little sister, just like Filip thought they would. She could down shots all night with them, laughing at their dirty jokes and sharing their own. She didn't shy away when the women started taking their clothes off and wasn't ashamed to share a smoke.

Eva began to worry a little about money, too. She still hadn't rented her apartments. The last day of school passed and she continued to wait for a contract for next year. Since she started mid-term, she wouldn't get paid over the summer and the next paycheck would be her last. She still had around $10,000 in her bank account, but her apartment building was nearly a century old. The boiler could go out; the wiring could go bad. She knew it was risky to spend what she had left. She began to look for jobs in the classifieds of Charming. No one was looking for help, however. The economy was soft in Charming and only minimum wage food service jobs were available; she wasn't that broke yet.

One afternoon, Gemma called. It had been a long time since Jax had taken the boys up to see Tara. Tara blamed Gemma for her arrest, so she asked if Eva would go with her. Eva didn't know much about Tara, but Gemma filled in the gaps on the hour-long drive to Chowchilla.

Tara was nothing like Eva expected. She expected someone attractive, professional. For some reason, she neglected to consider what five months incarcerated can do to someone. Tara sat waiting at one of the bolted down tables in the stuffy visiting room. Strands of gray intermingled with her dark brown hair that was pulled back into a thin, messy ponytail. Tara's gaunt face was drawn and lined. Under her eyes, dark circles hinted that she wasn't sleeping well. Though Eva had no idea what she looked like before she was arrested, she guessed that she was looking at a different woman than Dr. Knowles.

When Eva entered the room carrying Thomas and holding Abel's hand, Tara stood up and yelled at her, "Who the fuck are you and why the fuck do you have my children?" As the guards rushed to her, Tara dropped back on the seat, pleading, "I'm fine. I'm sorry. I'm calm now." The guards stopped and met Eva's eyes, she gave them a slight nod and they backed into the corners of the room.

Eva walked over to her and Tara's eyes welled up. She wiped them quickly, then greeted her children with a big smile. Eva handed her Thomas and Tara desperately hugged and kissed the boys. "I'm Eva, Chib's…" Eva paused, "Old lady." She sat down at the table across from Tara.

Tara stared at her before focusing on her children again. Abel set the coloring book and small box of Crayolas on the table. Tara sat there with her children, coloring pictures of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Tara kept a smile on her face, the pitch of her voice up, as she read the captions to Abel and Thomas, kissing their foreheads. Eva noticed the bruises on her forearms and the abrasions around her wrists. Tara kept wiping her eyes and sniffling, putting on a brave face for her boys.

Too soon one of the guards said that time was up. Tara's voice cracked as she clung on to her children, telling them that Mommy loved them and she would see them soon.

"You need to take them." She said to Eva as she put her sons down.

"Ya, I'll take them."

"No," Tara argued, "You have to take them. Get them out of Charming. Take them away." Tara begged. "They will die in the club. The club will kill you, too if you don't get out!" When Eva looked down at the boys, Tara punched her in the left cheekbone, then tackled her. Eva pushed Tara off and the guards grabbed her. Tara kept screaming, "GET OUT! GET OUT! THEY WILL KILL YOU!" as they dragged her out of the room. Abel and Thomas began sobbing and Eva got up and embraced them, reassuring them that it would be okay.

When Gemma dropped Eva off at home later that evening, Filip was waiting for her outside the apartment. He walked up toward the SUV. "How'd et go?" He asked. As Eva got out, she turned to face him. "Mother of Christ, whot happened?" He asked, giving Gemma a look as he moved Eva's chin to the right, surveying the red mark on her left cheek.

"What do you think happened? Crazy bitch hit her." Gemma said, leaning across the seat toward the opened passenger window.

"Why'd she hit you?" Filip looked at Eva, then to Gemma. "Aye don' understand."

"I'll tell you about it later." Eva responded as she walked toward her apartment.

Eva held a bag of frozen peas on her cheekbone as she stretched out on the couch, her head in Filip's lap. Despite the cup of ice she held on it on the way home, Eva's left cheek was swollen and beginning to purple. Filip lit a joint and shared it with her. She told him how Tara looked and what she said.

"Tara's had a hard go, Love."

"Ya, I know she has." Eva inhaled then passed it back.

Filip took a drag. "She was reckless. Aye'd never let you do something like thot, not even for the club. They should've known whot Otto could do. There's nothing more dangerous than a violent man with nothin' to live for."

There was a knock at the door. Filip answered the door and let Jax in.

Jax walked into the living room and sat on the coffee table, inches away from Eva. "How you doin', Darlin'?"

"Great." Eva took another pull off of the joint.

"She clocked you good, huh?" Jax asked.

"Yep."

"Tara's not like that. She's under a lot of stress. She's scared." Jax continued.

"Of course she is. She's in lockdown for God's sake." Eva sat up.

"You're right. Anyway, I'm sorry. And thank you for taking my boys up there." Jax got up and turned to Filip. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Aye'll just be outside, Sweetheart." Filip told Eva as he followed Jax out the door.

"I'm sorry for that." Jax apologized.

"Ya, ya." Filip put his hands on Jax's shoulders and pleaded with him. "You have to care for your girl, Jackie. She needs you. How long has et been since you been up there?"

"A few weeks, a month. I don't know. Look, I'm working as hard as I can to pay those legal bills. The only way she will be okay is if I can get her out of there." Jax argued.

"Not good enough, Kid." Filip said, lighting a cigarette. "Ya have to go see her."

Jax looked away. "I just… I should never have let her fucking go in there. I should have known Otto would do something."

"Aye know."

They stood in silence. Jax took a smoke out of his pack and lit it up.

"I'm bringing Juice to the table later this week." Jax said. "I've asked him to confess, to tell the club everything. I promised him I would back him. I want you to do the same." Filip rolled his eyes and turned away. "Look, Brother, I know this is hard for you, but he did everything I asked. He's been solid for months. He even took a bullet for us. It's time."

Filip frowned. "Ya, okay."

"Look, we have to get back in the gun business. I can't keep up with all of Tara's legal bills. We're all broke and Nero needs guns. I told him I would see what I could do."

"Galen made et clear. No guns, Jackie."

"I know. I might need you to go to Belfast and smooth things over."

Filip stared at him. "Et ain't gonna work, Kid."

"I need you to try."

Filip looked toward the apartment and took a breath. "Fine."

When Filip came back inside, he hesitated before sitting on the couch with Eva again. He knew he should tell her about going to Belfast, but he didn't know how. Filip hadn't seen Kerrianne since he met Eva. He needed to see his daughter, but didn't want to see Fiona. Maybe he would take Eva with him.

Eva could tell something was wrong when Filip came back inside. He paused before coming back into the living room and didn't say anything when he sat down.

"What's wrong?" She asked him.

"Jax is bringin' Juice to the table."

"What does that mean? Jax is going to tell them about him talking to the feds?"

"Aye. Juice is to confess. Jax asked me to vote to keep him in the club." Filip said with a sigh.

"And you haven't forgiven him, yet."

"No."

"Do you think he's really sorry for what he did?"

"Aye."

"And you still love him." She observed.

Filip said nothing.

"Then you have to forgive him. He's a dumb kid who fucked up, who was afraid you wouldn't love him any more if you knew who he really was. You can make this right. He can't."

Filip looked at her and smiled. "You're stoned."

"Uh huh." Eva laughed.

Jax summoned all of the Sons to the clubhouse that Friday night. Jax closed the building to all non-members during the meeting, though friends of the club were invited to show up afterward. The business before the club was too important for distractions. Filip sat outside smoking, waiting for everyone with Jax. Every few minutes, a Son roared into to the lot on his Harley. The men stood around nervously, making small talk until they all had arrived. As Filip walked into the clubhouse, Juice tried to talk to him. Filip ignored him and walked into the chapel without saying a word.

After all of the men were seated, Jax brought the meeting to order. He told the club that there was serious business before the club tonight, including revising a bylaw. The look on Jax's face was grave. He asked that all members listen and wait to talk until Juice was finished.

Juice cleared his throat and looked down. He still had his arm in a sling from the bullet wound, which he rubbed nervously. Then, he put his head up and blinked. "Several months ago, Roosevelt picked me up. He told me that the feds had a RICO case against SAMCRO. The feds said that they were taking down the MC. If I gave them intel, then they would spare the club." Juice took a breath. "If I didn't cooperate, Roosevelt said he was going to tell you about my father. I didn't know he was black."

Juice paused as his eyes began to tear up. "They had me steal the coke. When I was trying to put it back, Miles caught me and we struggled. I didn't mean to kill him." Juice looked at Filip. "I've tried to make up for all I've done, but I know I can't." He looked back down, then put his head up again, closing his eyes. "I understand if you take my patch…and if you decide…the mayhem… I'm sorry, so sorry." Juice got up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"He's a fucking rat?" Tig said, looking at Jax. "You knew?"

"He came to me and confessed," Jax admitted. "I told him that he could earn his way back. He did. He helped find the evidence that Clay was behind the break-ins. We have watched him for months and he has been completely straight with us. He took a bullet for us. I support him keeping his patch. What about the rest of you?"

"He sold us out. He needs to be dead." Happy said.

Jax looked around the room. "Anyone else have anything to say?"

The room was silent.

Filip spoke quietly. "If anyone hates Juice for whot he's done, et's me. He's my prospect. Aye took him in, gave him a home in the club." He rubbed his hands over his mouth and down his beard. "He's a fuckin' rat. He deserves to lose his patch and the mayhem. Aye want to be the one to do et, to put a bullet in his skull and bury him in some hole in the ground."

Tig and Happy nodded.

But then Aye look at us," Filip continued. "Which one of us hasn't sinned against the club, Laddies? Aye turned rat with that gash Stahl when she promised to liberate Fi and Kerrianne. You Bobby, you fucked Luann, Otto's wife, when he did time for us." Bobby looked down, away from Filip's eyes. "And you, Tiggy? You killed Donna, Aye know ya didn' mean to, but ya did...and Pope's girl." Tig held his hand across his mouth.

"Jax hid the truth and lied to us all. Aye think Hap's the only one who hasn't betrayed the club, at least nothin' Aye know."

Filip stopped and lit a cigarette before speaking again. "Juice is still a fuckin' kid. Ya, he was a rat, but he's a rat that tried to swim out of the shite we made this club. He even tried to hang himself to protect the club. Did you know thot? Aye forgive him. If you can't, then you better vote to end him and Aye'll kill him myself. He's dead without this club anyway."

Everyone was quiet for what seemed like a long time. Finally, Jax said, "First of all, we need to vote on a change in the bylaws. All in favor of removing the rule that disallows anyone who is black from being a member…"

"Aye."

"Yeah."

"Aye."

"Yes."

"Aye. Change in the bylaws passes. Now, we vote Juice. All in favor of Juice losing his patch…"

When Filip left to go to church, Eva decided to take a hot bath. He told her they would be voting whether to keep Juice in the club. She wondered what they might do to him. She shivered and drove the thought out of her mind. Filip hadn't talked much about Juice in the past few days, but she believed he would forgive him. She opened a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass, taking it with her through the living room as she headed to the bathroom. She ran the water in her tub until it was warm, then plugged the drain. She knew Filip would have a shot or two before he returned, so she decided to go get the entire bottle.

As she turned the corner into her kitchen, she saw the blur of a man in front of her. Suddenly something slammed against her temple, causing everything to go black.

It was unanimous. Juice escaped exile.

"Aye'll go get him," Filip volunteered.

Juice waited on a couch in the main room. His eyes were wide and frightened, like a wild animal. Filip walked up to him. "Get up, Juice."

Juice stood. "What'd they say? Am I out?"

Filip pulled his arm back and slugged Juice in the jaw. "Shit!" Juice exclaimed as he regained his footing.

"You're still in, Juicy-boy. But you and me, Kid? We still have to work out some shite." He patted Juice's uninjured shoulder.

"Ya, of course." Juice said as Filip turned and started to walk back into the chapel. "Hey, Chibs? Did you vote to keep me in?"

Filip turned around, "Aye didn' just vote for ya. Aye was your advocate."

Eva was only out for a few minutes. As she regained consciousness, she could feel someone pulling her up from the floor and sitting her up in a chair. Her vision returned, blurry at first. She saw her kitchen table in front of her. Eva felt her arms being pulled behind her, her wrists tethered to the lower back rail of the chair. She tried to pull her arms away, but they were slow and weak, like she was dragging them through mud. A sharp pain grew in her left forearm and she became aware of something warm dripping down to her hand and off her fingertips.

The man set a chair down in front of her, then sat down, his knees inches from hers. He wore a button-up oxford shirt and dress pants. He had his hair pulled back into a ponytail, the same color as his faded reddish-gray beard.

He introduced himself, "Miss Johnson, I'm former U.S. Marshall Lee Toric." His voice was friendly and calm. He extended his hand with a business card before smiling and turning to place it on the table beside a 45 mm and the bottle of wine. "This shouldn't take long. I just have a few questions for you."

Although she had regained her vision, the pain from her temple felt like he had driven an axe into her skull.

"Don't worry. You were only out for a minute or so. Mr. Telford won't be finished with his 'church' for another 45 minutes. Actually, I created another diversion for the Sons of Anarchy so that we can have a bit more time together."

"We took a huge pay cut when we went legit," Jax began. "We knew that would happen when we voted to get out of business with the Galindo Cartel. What we didn't know, what I didn't see, was that it would take so long for our legitimate businesses to get up and running. Diosa is barely profitable right now. Without Nero there to manage it, we won't see real money for a while. We have that fleet maintenance contract that will keep the garage busy, but the board is still dragging their feet after the death of Pope. Each of us has been earning here and there with Nero, but it isn't enough."

Bobby and Tig nodded their heads.

"Nero needs guns." Jax informed the club.

"We don't have money or guns, which is a tight spot to be in, brothers," interjected Bobby.

"Look, I'm broke," Jax admitted. "My share of the money we earned under Galindo and Pope is gone. I'm gonna need more, lots more, to get Tara out of this mess. I think we need to get back into the weapons business."

"But where do we get our guns?" Tig asked. "Galen made it clear the Irish wouldn't deal with us anymore, Man."

"I asked Chibs to look into it." Jax replied.

"Aye'll ring Belfast tomorrow, see what Aye can find out." Filip stated.

"What were you doing visiting Tara Knowles?" Toric asked.

Eva would not let herself be afraid. She knew he could kill her or maim her or rape her. She pushed the fear back, swallowed it like a bitter pill and got the taste of it out of her mouth. Eva relaxed and stared into his eyes. "She's a friend."

Toric backhanded Eva, cutting her lip in the process. "Now, we both know that isn't true," he stated calmly. "Tara doesn't have any friends. Try again. This time, please be honest with me."

Eva met his eyes again and remained emotionless. She used the tip of her tongue to feel the cut in her lip. "I took her kids to see her."

"There you go, so much better." Toric smiled. "I know you have been with Mr. Telford for a while now. So what has he told you about the Sons of Anarchy and their illegal gun and narcotic operations?"

"I know that both activities are in their past," Eva stated, saying each word precisely.

"You make me so sad, Eva." He shook his head and stood up, then punched her in the gut and pushed the chair backward, causing Eva to fall over. She cried out as the chair slammed on the floor, her hands pinned beneath it.

Toric walked over to the kitchen counters and looked at the knives which hung from a magnetic strip on the wall. He chose the one for deboning meat and pulled it off. For the first time, Eva wished she had cheap cutlery instead of razor-sharp chef knives.

Jax hit the gavel and adjourned the meeting. As the men began to file out, Jax called out to Filip, "Chibs..."

"Whot, Jackie-boy?" Filip said as he turned around.

"Thank you for that, Brother."

"Ya." Filip changed the subject. "Aye don' think et will go well with the Irish."

"I'm just asking that you try." Jax said.

"Ya. Okay."

Jax and Filip joined the rest of the Sons for a shot at the bar. Filip teased Brady for being a shite bartender.

Just then, Jax's phone rang. It was Gemma. Usually she took Abel and Thomas back home after feeding them supper at her house. Tonight, like every other night, she pulled up at Jax's house at 7:30pm. She planned on bathing the kids, then putting them to bed and waiting for Jax to come home. As she brought the boys up the house, she discovered the door had been kicked in. She pushed the door open, revealing disarray everywhere. The couch cushions were slashed on the living room floor. The bookshelf had been tipped over, spilling books on the carpet. Gemma turned her head to see the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator opened, the dishes broken on the lineoleum. She hurried the kids back to her vehicle, strapped them in, and locked the doors. Then, she called Jax. He told her to bring the boys back to the clubhouse. Jax told Happy, Bobby, and Juice to stay there and look after Gemma and the boys. He asked Tig and Chibs to come with him.

As they walked out to their bikes, Filip pulled out his phone and rang Eva.

Eva's cell phone began to ring. Toric found the phone on the coffee table and picked it up. The display read, "RESTRICTED."

"It looks like Mr. Telford is checking in," he said to Eva who was still on the floor. "Tell him you are fine and ask how soon he will be here." Toric leaned down on the floor. He held the knife up to her throat with his left hand and hit 'ANSWER' with his right thumb before holding it up to her ear.

"Hey," Eva said, calmly.

"Aye'll be late. Aye need to run over to Jax house."

"Okay. How late will you be?" Eva asked him. Toric hit a button on the phone, raising the volume so he could hear.

"Half-hour, hour at the most." Filip answered.

"I'll see you later then, Chibs."

"Alright." Filip hung up.

Filip closed the phone as he got on his bike.

"Everything okay?" Jax asked.

"Aye need to run over to Eve's real quick. Aye'll meet you in a bit." Filip answered as he strapped on his helmet.

Jax frowned. "Alright."

Filip started his Harley and drove off; she hadn't called him 'Chibs' since they first met.

Toric clicked the phone off, then got up and set it down on the table. "Very good. I appreciate that. Now, where were we?"

The former marshall lifted the chair from the floor, sitting Eva back up. "Did Ms. Knowles tell you that she brought Mr. Delaney a cross into prison? He used the cross to repeatedly stab my sister in the throat." He brought the knife to her throat, then drew it away. He sat across from her again. "You see, I thought Mr. Delaney killed my sister to kill the RICO case against the club, but then I learned that the RICO case was already pulled. You see, I want to know why the club murdered my sister. Why did RICO go away? I questioned some of the people here in Charming, some of the croweaters, even a few of the whores the club runs. They hardly know anything. That's why I chose to visit you. You're the only old lady the Sons have, other than Ms. Knowles and the widow, Mrs. Morrow. Tell me why the RICO case was dropped."

Eva gave him a blank stare. "I don't know anything about RICO or your sister."

"You're brave. I have to say that I'm impressed how strong you are. I bet you're a great old lady. Unfortunately, we're running out of time together." He ripped her flannel shirt open and the buttons shot around the room revealing her pale yellow bra underneath. He took the knife and moved it upward from her navel to her throat, the blade scratching her naked skin.

He moved closer to her and held the knife to her cheek. "I was thinking it would suit you to have a smile like Mr. Telford. Do you know it's called a 'Glasgow Grin'?"

Filip parked his Harley half a block from Eva's building. He drew his gun, attaching the silencer before creeping up to the kitchen door. By now it was dark outside, making it easier to peek through the gap in the window shade. He saw Eva bound to a chair, Toric leaning over her, saying something in her ear. Filip swallowed hard and pushed back the urge to break through the door. He watched Toric stand up straight and move away from Eva. At the moment Toric stood with his back toward the door, Filip kicked the door in and shot him in the back of the head. After Toric fell, Filip shot him two more times in the chest then spit on him before turning to Eva. He bent down and looked her in the eyes.

"Are you okay, Sweetheart?" He asked in almost a whisper as he gently held her face in his hands.

"Ya, um…" She stared down at what was left of Lee Toric's face, a jagged, gaping hole where his left eye used to be. A pool of dark red blood began to creep across the floor toward her.

"Eve, Sweetheart, hey…" Filip turned her face back to his. "You're safe now." He pulled a knife from his holster and cut the zip ties that bound her wrists. Freed, she pulled her arms forward to see blood all over her left palm and forearm. Filip turned her arm over, revealing a postage stamp size piece of glass in her arm. "Shite," he frowned as he stepped around the pooling blood on his way to the cabinets. He grabbed two kitchen towels from a drawer and tied one around the wound. The other, he used to wipe off his now bloody hands.

"Let me see your head, Love." Filip slowly moved her head to the right as he inspected the rising lump on her left temple. "Bastard," he said. "What else did the bastard do?"

"He hit me in the stomach. I'm fine." Filip moved the hem of her open shirt back. A round patch of skin on her abdomen was still pink from the blow.

"C'mon. Let's get you cleaned up, Love." He helped her up, then put his arm around her. She gazed at the wall. Blood spatter and tiny bits of tissue still clung to the plaster. She moved her eyes down to the corpse on the floor. "Hey," Filip got her attention. "He's not going anywhere."

In the bathroom, the floor was flooded from the running tub. Filip turned the faucet off and reached in to pull the plug. He grabbed the towels off the racks and put them on the flooded floor. Eva sat down on the closed toilet seat.

Filip called Brady. He told him to sneak the med kit out of the clubhouse and bring the black van. Then, he called Jax and told him that he wasn't going to his house. When Jax pressed him for a reason why, Filip told him to stop by later.

Eva's arm began to throb. Filip told her that he would clean it now and sew it up after the prospect got there. He found an old washcloth in her cabinet and began to gently wash the dried blood off of her head and arm. He told her in a quiet voice that she wouldn't need stitches on her head and asked if she had lost consciousness. Eva thought about how gentle he was with her as he delicately tended her wounds. She wondered who shot the man in the kitchen, who didn't hesitate to blast his brains across her kitchen. She didn't want to believe that it was Filip.

There was a knock at the door and Filip left her in the bathroom as he went to answer the door. The prospect stood in the kitchen, transfixed by the body on the floor. "The fuck?" Filip took the med kit from his hand. He told Brady to get a tarp from the van and bring it in. Filip explained how to pick up the corpse and wrap it without making more of a mess. Before leaving the kitchen, Filip grabbed a chair and took it in the bathroom. The table would have been more convenient for sewing up that arm, but he didn't want her to see the corpse again.

When Filip returned to the bathroom, Eva still sat on the closed toilet seat, her eyes distant and empty. "Prospect is here. He's goin' to clean up the mess." Eva said nothing. He knew she must be in shock, though her injuries were minimal. Sometimes he forgot how different he was, callous to killings, to the dead. He searched through the cabinets to find the towels with the frayed edges, the old ones instead of the new. He took them out to Brady, then showed him where the cleaning supplies were under the kitchen sink. The tall, lanky kid had done well and had already moved the body to the bright blue tarp. Filip grabbed the bag of peas from the freezer.

"Have you never seen anyone die before?" Filip asked her as he handed her the frozen peas.

Eva held the bag up to the knot rising on her temple. "My great-grandma. She was 107 years-old. I watched my other grandma take her last breath when she died of heart failure. I was there when my grandfather died from cancer..." Her distant voice trailed off.

"But you never seen anybody killed?" He removed the towel from her arm and began to wash the skin around the glass embedded in her arm. He wiped the blood away with the warm, wet washcloth, periodically rinsing it in the sink.

"No." She answered.

"Et isn't easy, Love. Not at first. But Aye promise et'll go away." Filip tried to reassure her as he took a syringe and a vial out of the small black canvas bag. He pulled the lidocaine out of the vial with the needle and injected it by the glass in her arm.

"What about the first person you kill?" She wondered quietly.

He finished cleaning the wound with Betadine, then began to thread the curved surgical needle. "Thot's much harder. Thot one never leaves, like a ghost in your head."

Eva watched his fingers deftly push in and pull out the needle, creating tiny sutures in her skin. She couldn't feel pain, but there was a nagging tug when he gently pulled her skin back together. Eva heard the kitchen door open and recognized the voice of Jax. She couldn't make the words out, but knew by the volume and tone that he was upset.

Soon Jax stood in the bathroom door. "What the fuck, Bro?" He spit out, his voice raised. "You know what Toric's disappearance could do to Tara's case?"

Filip carefully set the needle down on Eva's arm. He stood up and faced Jax, inches away from him. "Thot bastard had a knife to Eve's throat." Filip pointed out into the kitchen. "Aye don't give a goddamned about any case. Thot animal lost his right to live."

"You're right. I'm sorry. Are you alright, Darlin'?" Jax turned to Eva.

"I'll be alright." Eva answered him.

"What did he want? What did he tell you about Tara's case?" Jax continued.

"A minute, Jackie?" Filip nodded to the bedroom across from the bathroom.

When Jax entered the room, Filip whispered, "She might look okay, Kid, but she's not. This is the second bloody time she's dealt with Tara's shite this week. She just watched me kill someone in her kitchen. Give her time, please."

"Ya, just tell me if you learn anything." Jax replied.

"Alright. How's Tara? Have you heard?"

"I talked to Lowen. She suggested a psychiatrist see Tara. "

Filip nodded, then exited the door and went back to sewing up Eva's arm. He knotted the thread, bandaged the wound, then gave her a sedative. He helped her undress and assisted as she put on shorts and a tank top. She got into her bed and he tucked her in. He took off his bloodied shirt, then curled up beside her until she fell asleep. After she stopped stirring, Filip got out of bed to help Jax and Brady with the body. In a deep sleep, Eva dreamed of shooting men in the head. In her mind, she watched the bullets rip through their skulls as they dropped to the floor. The bloodied corpses spoke to her through missing jaws and looked at her with empty eye sockets, asking her why they were dead.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Eva spent the next five days in bed while Filip waited.

The head injury and bruised ribs kept her in bed for the first few days. But as her body healed, her mind remained broken. Filip tried to get her to talk, but she answered in monosyllables. Eva dozed all day and night with earplugs in her ears. He tried to get her to eat, but she picked at her favorite takeout foods, consuming the minimum amount her body needed.

As she slept, he worked to keep himself busy in her apartment. At first, he tried to read one of her books, but he couldn't focus on the words. He attempted to watch Netflix on her TV, but he couldn't get into any story lines. Restless in her living room, he kept the videos playing to mute the silence in her apartment. Filip knew she was hurt, emotionally scarred from what happened. Maybe this was it; maybe she wouldn't bounce back. He knew she was sneaking pain pills, but he couldn't bring himself to count the scored white tablets.

He must do something, anything. He wouldn't let her live like this.

Filip got up from the sofa and walked with bare feet to her bedroom. He opened the door slowly and found Eva curled up on her side, her back toward him. He sat down on the edge of the bed and put his hand upon her hip.

"Sweetheart," he began. "Aye need you to hear this."

"Alright." Eva finally answered, her voice weak and dreamy.

"Aye love you and know you're frightened, but you can't live like this." Filip soothed her. "Aye know, this life, et isn't for everyone, Love. If you can be happy somewhere else and not here, then you should go. Et would break my heart, but Aye can't see you suffer like this. Ya understand?"

"Ya, okay." Eva pretended to fall back asleep. She felt Filip move the hair off of her forehead and give her a tender kiss. He sighed and left the room.

Eva didn't sleep that night.

She stayed in bed, making sure she was breathing deeply, her eyes closed, when Filip came to bed. She didn't know what to say to him, so she stayed silent. She knew he was right; she couldn't live like this, in the fuzzy haze of prescription drugs which hid her from the world. Eva waited for dawn. She must pull herself out of this coma and live.

Eva picked up her cell phone and clicked the power button. It was 4:02 am. She eased out of bed, careful not to wake Filip as he quietly snored. With the light from her phone, she tiptoed around the bedroom, gently opening the drawers and grabbing her clothes. She picked up her shoes and sneaked out of the room, washed her face, then dressed. Usually, Eva began her day with coffee, but not today. She stood in front of the doorway to her kitchen. The counters were clean and she knew there were no dishes in the sink. Eva needed coffee to help pry open her eyes, to give her the energy she needed to leave, to run, but she couldn't take a step into the room. She could smell lingering disinfectant over gunpowder and blood, odors she knew were just a memory. On the clean tile floor she could still see him, his warm blood oozing toward her. Eva decided to pick up a cup of coffee at a convenience store, then she turned and walked out of the living room door.

Eva took shallow breaths. She stared at the cinder block wall in front of her. She wanted to look down, to see how far she had gone, how far she had to go, but she resisted the urge. She scanned the televisions mounted from the ceiling of the gym, allowing her mind to drift. She finished 4 miles on the treadmill before moving on to the weights. She had to be strong, limber, sure. As long as she stayed in Charming, her life was in danger. There was no immediate threat against her, but the risk would remain. Trouble would come, sooner or later. She must be ready. She must prepare herself.

Filip crept up behind the man as he walked down the damp, narrow alley. He carefully synced his footsteps with the man and his companion, a woman with long, light brown hair. Though partially concealed by the dark, Filip pulled the ski mask over his face before drawing the handgun out of his jacket pocket. He aimed at the back of Aiden's head and pulled the trigger twice in quick succession. Instead of falling, the man turned back toward Filip. An eyeball hung out of the socket while the other stared at him. The lower part of his face was replaced by a gaping, gory tunnel through his head. Though his jaw hung from his face unmoving, he heard Aiden's voice, "Why?"

Filip stared at him, unable to summon any words. Then, the woman faced him, too, her blue-green eyes reflecting the light of the streetlamps. It was Eva. She repeated the question, "Why Filip?"

Filip sat up in bed. He looked down at the bed. Eva was gone.

He jumped up and rushed through the house, opening the doors of the bathroom and spare bedroom before hurrying into the empty kitchen.

Just then, Eva stepped through the living room door. "Oh. Morning." She said with a weak smile.

"Aye woke and couldn't find you." Filip scolded, worry still on his face.

"I'm...sorry," she mumbled. "I just went out for a run. I'm back now."

"Are you? Really?" He asked as he crossed the room toward her.

"Yes." Eva answered as she met him halfway. At first, they clung to each other, lovers reunited. He kissed her and she kissed him while the endorphins reignited in her from the run. Soon, she was back in her bed again, this time stretched out and exposed instead of hiding under covers and narcotics.

Afterward, Filip asked her, "Should we get at some breakfast?"

"No, I'm not hungry. Let's just stay here for a few more minutes." She said as her head rested on his tattooed chest.

"You can't go in thot kitchen, can you?" Filip paused. "Ya didn't make coffee this mornin' and ya never use the front door."

Eva said nothing.

"How 'bout you move into my house?"

"Uh...You don't even have a kitchen!"

"Aye know. We can build it together, then ya can move in. Would ya like thot?"

She knew they practically lived with each other anyway. He spent most nights at her house and in between she stayed at his. Still, this was a step. The justice he dispensed to Toric brought their worlds crashing together. No longer were they divided by her ignorance of his life in the club, the blood on his hands. Filip was her paradox: he healed and he killed; he lived a life of gentleness and brutality; he was a just anarchist.

"You're serious about this?"

"Aye."

"I didn't think you had the money..."

"Don't you worry about thot. And until then, if Aye'm gone at night, Aye want a prospect here."

"That's really not necessary." Eva told him.

"You get along okay with the tall one?"

"He's a sweet kid."

"Thot settles et then."

Filip went back to work that afternoon. She was right; he didn't have the cash to build the kitchen. Only a few thousand remained in his safe and the new cabinets and appliances alone would run over $10,000. Plus, since Jimmy was gone, he liked to send $2000 a month to Fi for Kerrianne. However, he ruined Eve's home; she would never feel right in her apartment again. He owed her and he looked forward to remodeling the kitchen together, a symbol of the life they would build. He needed to earn, soon.

After he arrived in the TM lot, Filip rang Belfast. Galen remained true to his word; no guns to the MC. None of the senior members of the IRA would talk with him on the phone. With Clay gone, Filip knew he was the only hope the club had of re-entering the arms trade. He must go to Belfast and convince them of the club's stability. He must plead their case to the Kings. He must beg for work from the True IRA once again, like when he was a lad thirty years ago. But he couldn't leave yet, not after what happened, not after she finally seemed to be better.

The odors of grease, gasoline, dust, and cigarette smoke mingled together in the Teller-Morrow garage. Tig and Bobby worked on the exhaust of a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. Filip removed the front brake caliper on the passenger side of a blue Ford Explorer. He heard the rumble of a Harley in the lot, but his eyes remained on the ABS sensor. Filip attempted to turn the bolt with a wrench. "Christ! Goddamned et!"

Jax stepped into the garage. "What's the problem?"

"Bloody bolt is stuck." Filip groaned as he tried to loosen it, using all his body weight. The bolt finally began to inch loose.

"How's the girl?" Jax inquired.

"Better. Was up and runnin' before Aye woke."

"Sounds like she is going to be fine."

"Ya, Aye hope." Filip replied.

"Did you call Belfast yet?"

"Aye. We're outta luck. They refuse to get back in bed with the club, Jackie."

"Shit." Jax lit a cigarette and leaned against a toolbox. "You gotta go to Belfast, Bro."

Filip stopped and turned toward Jax. "Not now. Aye don' even know if Eve's really okay."

"We're running out of options, Chibs."

"Where are the Bastards getting guns from? Should Aye call T.O.?"

"Bobby says that T.O. Is gone."

"Gone? Whot do you mean, 'Gone.'?" Filip asked.

"Don't know. Word is that he got voted out and disappeared. My guess is he's buried somewhere. No one knows for sure." Jax answered.

Filip paused. "Whot about Lin?"

"The Chinese? It wouldn't hurt to try. But if he can't help us out, then you're getting on a plane."

"Aye'll set up a meet." Filip put down the wrench. "Aye need somethin' else, Brother."

"What's that?" Jax asked.

"Aye want the prospect, the tall one, to stay with Eve when we're out late."

"No problem. It will be good to have you ride with us again, Man."

Unlike the Irish, the Chinese welcomed a meet later that evening with Jax. Filip hated to be away from Eva so soon, but San Francisco was much closer than Belfast. He found the prospect mopping the bathroom floor of the clubhouse. Filip told him that he would be staying with Eva that evening and any other night that Filip was out on club business. Brady didn't ask why; prospects learned early not to ask too many questions.

Sometime in the past thirty years, a previous owner replaced the door of the high-arched front entrance of Eva's building. The sidelights that once flanked the entry had been boarded up with white paneling; the heavy glass door that welcomed visitors was gone and a white, aluminum storm door now stood in its place. However, high up above the entrance, the panes of the half-moon window stretched outward untouched, like the rising sun it usually faced. Through the screen door, two hollow-core doors stood side by side, the left leading to the middle apartment of the building and the right opening into Eva's living room. Instead of using the kitchen door like he did the night he cleaned up the body, Brady knocked on her front door a few minutes after six. Eva had tried to convince Filip that she didn't need a sitter, but he insisted. She now faced the prospect of once again spending time with Brady, this time in her home instead of a packed auditorium in San Francisco.

"Hey," Brady said when she opened the door. "Chibs said I was supposed to come over for a while?"

"Come on in. Have a seat." She said, nodding toward the love seat.

Brady sat down and stared at her. She stared back, trying to figure out what to say. She thought she should offer him something to eat or drink, but she had no idea if there was food in her kitchen. It occurred to her that she hadn't eaten and she noticed the gnawing in her stomach.

"Do you want something to eat?" Eva asked.

He looked toward the kitchen, then back at her. "I'm good."

"It's the kitchen, isn't it?"

"Ya." Brady answered.

"Want to go out and grab some food?" She inquired.

"That'd be alright." He replied.

Eva and Brady took her car to Sonic, pulled into a parking spot, and placed an order over the intercom. They ate in the car and blasted "Band of Skulls" on her car stereo while they popped tater tots in their mouths and devoured burgers. Fully stuffed with greasy fast food, they returned to her apartment. She dropped back on the couch, the weight of the fried meal heavy in her stomach. It was only 7:00pm and neither one had heard from Filip. He would likely be gone another few hours. Neither Eva or Brady knew what to do next, so the living room was silent.

Finally, Eva asked Brady, "What are we going to do?"

Brady responded, "Wanna smoke some pot?"

"Sure." Eva laughed.

Three hours later, Filip stepped through the door. The pungent smell of burned skunky sage hit his nostrils as he walked in. He found Eva in the dark, fully clothed, lying on her bed with white ipod earbuds in her ears. Filip sat on the edge of the bed and turned his upper body toward her. Eva opened her eyes and gave him a smile.

"Where's the prospect?" Filip asked.

"Mmmm." Eva moaned as she stretched her arms above her head. "What?" She asked as she pulled an earbud out of her ears.

"The prospect. Where is he?" Filip frowned.

"He's in the apartment next door. I told him he could move in."

"You told him he could move in?" Filip looked at her incredulously.

"He was just living in the clubhouse anyway. And that apartment came partially furnished. I think he's passed out." Eva giggled.

"You're stoned, aren't ya?" He asked, smiling.

"Yep." She answered.

The temperatures in the afternoon inched upward as summer descended on Charming. On weekends, Eva and Filip hid from the summer sun in home stores, ordering oak custom cabinets and buying slate floor tiles. On nights when he was home early, the two began working on his kitchen. Eva rolled the upper walls a warm ivory paint while Filip screwed down the cement board on the floor. Sometimes they would pass out exhausted at his house, falling asleep on his bed. His opened bedroom windows welcomed the cool evening breeze and pushed out the heat of the day.

Filip had to cover the expenses from the renovation. His savings was gone.

He started providing back up for Nero most nights. Usually he ended up in Stockton, accompanying Nero as he met with his crews. About half of the time Filip had to draw his weapon, popping off rounds at the Cuchillo gang. He knew that Nero was on the verge of an all-out war, a war that they couldn't fight without weapons. The meet with Lin left the Sons empty-handed and Nero begging for guns. Jax tried to persuade Filip to leave for Belfast, but he put him off, asking for a few more weeks until he was sure Eve was fine.

Eva stood outside of her apartment, panting. Instead of her usual run at the gym, she met the sun on a beautiful jog through town. It was early and the dew still clung to the adjacent lawn, but Filip was already gone. He seemed to be working later and leaving earlier. She wondered why he was suddenly so busy. She hoped it wasn't because of the money he was spending; she hoped it wasn't because of her.

She reached for the living room door and realized she had forgotten her keys. _Damn, s_he thought to herself. She knew the keys to the door were still on the coffee table. Eva walked around to the door which led into the kitchen. Instead of keeping a key under the rug like was expected of her, she had tied one to the bottom of a copper plant stake and tucked it in the dirt. When she turned the corner toward the door, however, she gazed at the large flower pot in frustration; she remembered using it the day before the incident with Toric. She imagined it was still beside the sink in her kitchen. "Fuck!" She exclaimed aloud, then she turned around and began the long walk to the Teller-Morrow garage.

By the time Eva arrived at the compound, the sun had begun to kiss her bare shoulders. She looked up at the cloudless sky and shaded her eyes. Although the suffocating heat of July was still a month away, she knew the day was going to be a hot one. As she walked toward the garage, she could hear the squeal of pneumatic tools in the bays. She didn't see Filip, though he was likely under the hood of one of the cars.

As she moved past the row of Harleys, Gemma stepped out and hollered to her, "Hey, why don't you come see me?"

When Eva entered the open door of the garage office, Gemma asked, "How you holding up, Baby?"

"Fine. I guess." Eva answered as she sat on the couch.

"You know everything is going to be okay, right?" Gemma rolled the chair over to her.

"Ya. How do_ you_ deal with it?" Eva asked.

Gemma stared at her. "How I deal with what? I'm sorry, I've never been fired."

"What do you mean you've never been fired?"

"I've been working here for almost thirty years. Before then, I took care of my boys."

"I haven't been fired. What are you talking about?"

"Oh shit." Gemma's eyes got wide. "You don't know?"

"Know what?" Eva's voice became quiet, controlled.

"They didn't tell you." Gemma looked away and took a deep breath before turning back to Eva. "It was in this morning's paper that Charming High has a new English teacher. They hired someone else for your job.

"Let me see the paper," Eva said, flatly.

Eva read the short article on the right hand column on the second page. Gemma was right; they had hired someone else for her job and hadn't even bothered to call her. She handed the paper back to Gemma.

Eva barely moved. Her eyes fixed and focused on the door which led into the bays. She said nothing but inside she raged. She slowed her breathing.

"Baby..." Gemma began.

Filip opened the door and looked at Eva. "Whot are you doing here, Love?" He wore one of his gray shop shirts with the cut-off sleeves and his name embroidered on the upper chest of one side. He wiped his greasy hands on a red, dirty shop rag.

Eva sat motionless.

"Whot happened?" Filip looked toward Gemma as he sat down beside Eva. Gemma raised her eyebrows to him and nodded toward Eva.

"I lost my job." Eva whispered.

"Whot?" Filip looked at her, surprised.

"I lost my fucking job." Her voice was barely audible. "I was fired," Eva's voice began to rise, "from my FUCKING JOB!" She yelled as she stood up and marched out of the open door into the lot.

Filip rushed after her, but she didn't stop. "Eve," he reached out and grabbed her arm. The momentum swung her around so she was facing him, a scowl on her face. "You'll be fine. We'll get through this." He tried to convince her. "You'll get another job."

"What am I going to do, Filip?" She spit out. "It was the only fucking school in town! There are no other teaching jobs around here! What am I going to do, huh?" She yanked her arm away from him. "Oh yeah, I can work here. I can replace mufflers and drop engines." She shot her right arm out and pointed at the cars in the garage. Bobby and Tig and a few other mechanics had stopped working and stared out at her.

"No, no," She continued, her voice loud and sarcastic. "I can work with Juice and sell pot and shove tubes up people's asses! Oh wait! How about I give tattoos while I'm impersonating fucking Elvis!" She turned and began to run away toward the exit of the lot.

"C'MON, EVE!" Filip shouted at her. "Shite."

Gemma walked out of the office and stood beside him, crossing her arms. "You gonna go after her?"

"Ya. First Aye need a gun." Filip answered.

Gemma put her hands on her hips. "You're going after her with a gun?"

Filip cocked his head and looked at her.

"You're not going to shoot that superintendent..."

"Christ, Ma. No, Aye'm not even going to _see_ that bastard." Filip responded.

"Alright. What do you need? Aren't you carrying?"

"Et's not for me, Mother."

By the time Filip caught up with Eva, she was almost home. With her earphones in, she ran on the empty sidewalks of Old Charming, past the vacant lots between abandoned store fronts. He tried to call out to her over the growl of his bike, slowing his speed on the street, but she either ignored him or couldn't hear. He hoped it was the latter.

She finally stopped outside her apartment and leaned over, putting her hands on her straightened knees as she took quick, shallow breaths. Filip rode past her, then backed into a parking spot in front of her building. He took off his helmet, then walked over to her. "Still hate me?"

"No." She answered between breaths. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "I went to the shop because I locked myself out." She pointed to the front door. "Do you have your key?"

"Oh. Ya." Filip removed his right glove and reached into the front pocket of his dark blue jeans, then walked toward the door and unlocked it.

As soon as they were inside, he reached for her and hugged her. At first she resisted, then she let him hold her as she fought back tears. "Aye'm sorry, Sweetheart. Aye really am. Was et because of us, the MC?"

She pulled away and looked down. "I don't know... Everyone started avoiding me after they saw me with you...It's not your fault."

"You're lying. Et probably is." Filip put his hands on her shoulders. "Right now, you need to change so we can go for a ride."

Eva shook her head at him. "I'm really not in the mood."

"Aye don' give a goddamned if you're in the mood. You need to go with me. Aye promise, et will make you feel better, Love. Trust me."

Twenty minutes later, Eva and Filip rode high in the hills north of Charming. He slowed and made a right, pulling on to a narrow gravel road shaded by sycamores and willow trees. After about three miles, the trees opened up a secluded valley with fenced green grass and a wide dirt parking lot. At the edge, stood a two-story galvanized steel warehouse. The siding was battered by time and weather. Faded paint high on the front of the building revealed it once housed lumber.

Filip slowed past the fence edging the dirt lot, then turned and parked. He killed the engine.

"What are we doing here?" Eva asked, her arms still around his waist.

"Aye have something for you." He removed his helmet before swinging his leg off the bike.

Eva dismounted the Harley and pulled the helmet off her head. Under her leather jacket, her sweat-soaked tank top clung to her body. "Here?"

"Aye." Filip answered her. "This way, Love." He led her to the right side of the warehouse, then stopped at a break in the trees. He reached into the back of his jeans, "This is for you." He handed her a silver and black Colt Pony.

Eva stared down at the compact handgun. She looked up at Filip, then back down at the weapon again,. "I'm not going to kill Mr. Wissel." Her eyes were wide, a look of horror on her face.

"Jesus Christ!" He exclaimed. "Whot is et with you lassies? Aye don' want you to kill no one!" Filip looked away and took a step back. He met her eyes again and held the gun back up to her, his voice quieted. "Aye wanna teach you to shoot, Sweetheart. Et will make you feel better."

She looked him in the eye, blinked, and sighed. She reached out with both hands and picked it up gingerly, keeping her fingers over the trigger guard. For some reason, she expected the gun to be cold to the touch, but instead it was still warm from its ride in the back of Filip's jeans. The silver and black weapon was small and toy-like, but she could feel the gravity of it heavy in her hands. She knew it was inevitable to be at this place, to be learning how to shoot from Filip with her first gun. He was her light, yet with him she kept stepping into the darkness.

Filip showed her the safety, then slipped a full magazine into the handle. Noticing that she had no target, he walked into the warehouse and found an empty coffee can. After setting it on the top of a fencepost about 15 yards away, Filip stood behind her and supported her outstretched arms.

"Your right hand should grip the gun high on the back strap to give ya more leverage against the recoil. This here's just a little girl, so there won't be much." He explained. "Place your support hand so et's pressed against the grip. All four fingers should be under the trigger guard with your index finger pressed hard underneath et." He moved her fingers into place. "Now, spread your legs apart." He whispered as he slid her right foot over with his. "And bend your knees just a little bit."

Eva took a breath and slowly let it out.

"Now, don't pull the trigger, Love. Press back until you hit that sweet spot, then push et all the way."

Eva heard the burst of sound as she closed her eyes and felt the slight recoil push her back against Filip. As she opened her eyes, she saw the can standing in defiance on the fencepost. She knew she wasn't even close, but it didn't matter.

"Wow." Adrenaline rushed through her veins.

"Ya like that, didn't ya, Sweetheart."

She lowered the weapon and turned to face him, moving her free hand around the back of his neck as she kissed him.

Filip pulled away. "Well, Aye like thot." He wrapped his arms around her as she dropped the gun and he began to pull her toward the warehouse.


End file.
